*  FEB  LS  1901   * 


^^0/ 


BV  1471  .P723  1900 


Principles  of  religious 
education 


PRINCIPLES  OF  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION 


CHRISTIAN  KNOWLEDGE  LECTURES 

_ 

PRINCIPLES 


OF 


RELIGIOUS   EDUCATION 


A  COURSE  OF  LECTURES  DELIVERED  UNDER 
THE  AUSPICES  OF  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL 
COMMISSION  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  NEW  YORK 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION 
BY 

The  Right  Reverend  HENRY  C.  POTTER,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

Bishop  of  New  York 


LONGMANS,    GREEN,   AND    CO 

91  AND  93  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York 

LONDON    AND    BOMBAY 
.1901 


Copyright,  i9cx>, 

BY 

LONGMANS,  GREEN,   AND    CO. 


First  Edition,  November,  1900. 
Reprinted,  December,  1900. 


ROBERT  DRUMMOND,    PRINTER.    NEW   YORK. 


PREFACE. 

The  following  Lectures  were  originally  delivered 
in  the  Autumn  of  1899,  in  St.  Bartholomew's  Church, 
Madison  Avenue  and  Forty-fourth  Street,  New 
York.  They  formed  what  was  called  ' '  The  Chris- 
tian Knowledge  Course  of  Lectures  on  the  Principles 
of  Religious  Instruction. ' '  This  Course  was  arranged 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Sunday-school  Commission 
of  the  Diocese  of  New  York,  which  had  been  ap- 
pointed by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  C.  Potter,  D.D., 
LL.D.,  Bishop  of  New  York,  at  the  Diocesan  Con- 
venticn  of  1898,  to  consider  what  steps  should  be 
taken  for  the  improvement  of  the  Sunday-schools  of 
the  Diocese.  It  had  long  been  felt  that  our  Religious 
Schools  were  not  all  that  they  should  be,  either  in  the 
Curriculum  of  Study  or  in  the  general  Training  of 
the  Teachers. 

The  Church  has  not  advanced  with  the  Day- 
school  along  the  lines  of  educational  reform.  The 
study  of  pedagogical  principles  has  been  made  an 
essential  in  secular  education,  while  the  Church  has 
largely  overlooked  it,  as  applied  to  her  Sunday- 
schools;  and  almost  completely  ignored  it  in  the 
training  of  her  Clergy.  And  she  has  done  this, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  in  theory  the  Teaching 
Function  of  the   Church   is   her  most    ancient  and 


VI  PREFACE. 

characteristic    one,    lying  at  the  very  heart  of  her 
commission. 

The  basic  principle,  therefore,  underlying  these 
Lectures  is  that  the  Sunday-school  is  a  school.  Its 
problems  are  educational  problems.  Its  scope  of 
instruction,  its  curriculum,  its  text-books,  charts, 
maps,  the  equipment  and  training  of  its  teachers,  the 
hours  and  times  and  places  of  its  work, — all  these  are 
questions  to  be  considered  in  the  light  of  educational 
principles.  Hence  it  is  important  to  consider  Re- 
ligious Education  first  from  the  standpoint  of  acknow- 
ledged leaders  in  the  cause  of  secular  education. 
This  Course  of  Lectures,  covering  roughly  the  entire 
field,  each  lecture  presenting  its  own  point  of  view, 
and  all  converging  on  the  one  general  object,  was 
arranged  and  carried  out  with  the  generous  co-opera- 
tion of  the  following  gentlemen :  The  Right  Reverend 
Wm.  Croswell  Doane,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  Bishop  of 
Albany;  the  Very  Reverend  George  Hodges,  D.D., 
Dean  of  the  Cambridge  Divinity  School ;  Professor 
Charles  De  Garmo,  Ph.D.,  of  Cornell  University; 
President  G.  Stanley  Hall,  of  Clark  University;  Pro- 
fessor Frank  Morton  McMurry,  Ph.D.,  Professor  of 
* '  the  Theory  of  Teaching, ' '  in  Teachers  College, 
Columbia  University ;  Professor  Charles  Foster  Kent, 
of  Brown  University;  and  Professor  Richard  G. 
Moulton,  M.A.,  of  Chicago  University;  together 
with  the  following  Members  of  the  Sunday-school 
Commission:  Professor  Nicholas  Murray  Butler, 
Ph.D.,  LL.D,  of  Columbia  University;  Dr.  Walter 
L.  Hervey,  Examiner  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
New  York,  and  former   President  of  Teachers   Col- 


PREFACE.  Vll 

lege;    and   the   Reverend  Pascal   Harrower,    Chair- 
man of  the  Commission. 

The  particular  Topics  covered  by  the  Lectures 
were  ' '  The  Relation  of  Religious  Instruction  to 
Education  as  a  Whole,"  "The  Educational  Work 
of  the  Christian  Church,"  "The  Present  Status  of 
Religious  Instruction  in  England,  France,  Germany, 
and  the  United  States,"  "The  Content  of  Religious 
Instruction,"  "The  Sunday-school  and  its  Course 
of  Study, "  "  The  Preparation  of  the  Teacher, ' ' 
*'The  Religious  Content  of  the  Child's  Mind," 
"The  Use  of  Biography,"  "The  Use  of  Geog- 
raphy, ' '  and  * '  The  Bible  as  Literature. ' ' 

With  deepest  thanks  to  the  learned  gentlemen, 
who  by  their  aid  and  encouragement  have  made 
possible  the  production  of  this  Volume,  and  with  the 
earnest  hope  that  it  may  prove  of  material  benefit  to 
all  who  are  interested  in  the  work  of  Christian 
Education,  the  Course  of  Lectures  is  now  placed 
before  the  Church  and  her  teachers. 

/iRcmbere  of  tbe  Commission. 

Rev.  Pascal   Harrower,   Chairman,   West   New   Brighton,    New 

York. 
Rev.  Wm.  Walter  Smith,  M.A.,  M.D.,  Secretary,  25  West  114th 

Street,  New  York. 

Henry  H.  Pike,  Esq.,  Treasurer,  134  Pearl  Street,  New  York. 

Rev.  Henry  Mottet,  D.D.  Rev.  Wm.  L.  Evans,  M.A. 

Rev.  John  P.  Peters,  D.D.  Rev.  Chas.  A.  Hamilton,  M.A. 

Rev.  E.  Walpole  Warren,  D.D.  Rev.  Ernest  C.  Saunders,  B.D. 
Rev.  David  H.  Greer,  D.D.       Nichol as  M.Butler,  Ph.D.,  LL.D. 
Rev.  Wm.  S.  Rainsford,  D.D.    Walter   L.  Hervey,  Ph.D. 
Rev.  Lester  Bradner,  Ph.D.     Charles  W.  Stoughton,  Esq. 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  occasion  for  the  Lectures  gathered  in  this 
volume  is  one  with  which  thoughtful  men  and 
women  can  hardly  fail  to  sympathize.  No  one  who 
takes  into  account  the  forces  that  make  for  the  best, 
whether  in  character  or  conduct,  can  be  insensible 
to  the  pre-eminent  value,  in  their  development,  of 
the  influences  that  touch  the  deepest  springs,  and 
find  their  sources  in  the  highest  inspirations.  That, 
I  suppose,  is  the  object  of  what  we  call  education. 
We  have,  in  a  child's  mind,  something  ductile, 
fluent,  impressionable.  His  earliest  perceptions  and 
apprehensions  are  apt  to  be  its  deepest,  most  deter- 
minative, if  not  always  its  most  enduring;  and  if  so, 
nothing  can  transcend  the  importance  of  the  condi- 
tions, agencies,  and  instruments  by  which  these  are 
made. 

In  this  view  it  must  be  owned  that  the  modern 
Church  has  not  adequately  recognised  its  responsi- 
bilities nor  improved  its  opportunities,  as  a  teacher 
of  the  young.  There  have  been  ages  when  that 
office  belonged  almost  exclusively  to  it,  and  when 
its  failures  were  due,  not  perhaps  to  its  want  of  zeal, 
but  to  its  want  of  wisdom.      To-day  the  conditions 

ix 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

are  quite  different.  Under  republican  institutions, 
and  with  us  in  the  United  States,  the  functions  of  the 
State  as  a  reHgious  teacher  through  an  estabHshed 
rehgion,  have  as  most  of  us  I  presume  beheve,  wisely 
ceased.  That  fact  ought  undoubtedly  to  have  awak- 
ened and  stimulated  the  Church  to  increased  en- 
deavours to  supply  what  a  Christian  man  must  hold 
to  be  fundamental  to  a  right  education,  and  which, 
now,  the  Church  or  the  family  alone  can  give.  Our 
American  situation,  in  other  words,  has  lifted  the 
Sunday-school  into  a  position  of  preeminent  import- 
ance which,  we  must  acknowledge  has  been  but 
feebly  and  imperfectly  recognised. 

Under  these  circumstances,  the  pages  that  follow 
are  opportune,  and,  I  think  they  will  be  found,  per- 
tinent and  helpful.  They  are  the  fruit  of  various  and 
earnest  thought,  of  large  experience,  and  of  a  high 
purpose.  I  am  glad  to  believe  that  they  will  lift  the 
office  of  the  Sunday-school  to  a  higher  plane  in  the 
estimate  of  thoughtful  people,  and  will  open  its  aims 
and  methods  to  the  more  appreciative  sympathy  of 
all  who,  whether  as  pastors,  parents,  or  teachers,  are 
in  any  way  responsible,  to  use  an  old  phrase,  for 
*'  godliness  and  good  learning  "  in  the  young. 

Henry  C.  Potter. 


CONTENTS. 


I. 

RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  ITS  RELATION  TO  EDUCATION. 

By  Nicholas  Murray  Butler,  Ph.D., 
Professor  of  Philosophy  and  Education  in  Columbia  University. 

PAGE 

True  education  a  unitary  force 3 

"Education"  defined. — Adaptation  to  environment,  and  capacity 
to  control  environment. — Education  first  a  matter  of  principle, 

and  secondly  one  of  methods 4 

Chief  principle  found  in  man's  relation  to  environment. — "  En- 
vironment "  defined  as,  man's  physical  surroundings,  and  that 
accretion  of  knowledge,  resulting  in   habit  and  conduct,  called 

' '  civilization  " 5 

Environment  both  physical  and  spiritual. — Spiritual  environment 
(civilization)  divided  into  science,  literature,  art,  institutional 
life,  and  religious  beliefs. — All  these  necessary  to  education.  ...  6 
Religious  training  part  of  a  general  education. — Its  separation 
from  education  an  outgrowth  of  Protestantism  and  Democ- 
racy.— Ethnic  or  racial  religions  include  religious  training  in 
education. — So  with  Christianity  before  the  Reformation. — 
Change  and  separation  followed. — Democracy  assisted  in  school 
secularization. — Reduction  of  religious  teaching  to  lowest  pos- 
sible terms. — Only  the  Bible,  Lord's  Prayer,  and  Hymn  left. — 
The  Bible  thrown  out  as  sectarian. — Legislation  against  sectarian 
instruction  in  State  schools. — Wisconsin  decision  against  Bible- 
reading. — The  Church  and  home  circle  the  proper  sources  of 

xi 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

TACB 

religious  instruction. — State  schools  and  the  Government  alike 
"Godless." — This  the  American  and  French  doctrines. — Hence 

all  State  education  incomplete 6 

Education  not  wholly  a  State  duty. — Family,  Church,  and  social 
factors. — Though  schools  are  secular,  religious  instruction  still 

necessary 1 1 

What  are  Church  and  family  doing  for  education  ? — Is  religion 
important? — Civilization  unintelligible  without  it. — Its  univer- 
sality.— Religion  a  part  of  Man's  psychical  being 12 

Moral  and  civic  instruction  no  substitute  for  religion. — Absurd 
results  of  contrary  view  in  France. — Confusion  of  religion  with 

ethics  obscures  both 14 

Church,  Sunday-school,  and  family  the  proper  agencies. — Sun- 
day-school part  of  general  educational  work.- — Combination  of 
small  parishes. — Teachers  must  be  trained  and  paid. — Their 
labour  educational,  not  philanthropic. — Supervision  by  Sunday- 
school  Board. — Course  of  study  now  too  "  pious." — Wider  scope 
and  gradation. — Religion  in  education  ;  not  religion  a«^  educa- 
tion.— Radical  but  necessary  changes .15 

The  alternative,  religious  ignorance. — Examples  in  vmiversities. — 
The  key  to  the  heart. — Knowledge  reacts  on  feelings. — Benefits 
of  wide  education 18 


11. 

THE  EDUCATIONAL  WORK   OF  THE   CHRISTIAN  CHURCH, 

By  the  Rt.  Rev.  William  Croswell  Doane,  DD.,  LL.D., 
Bishop  of  Albany. 

Christ's  Prophetic,  Priestly,  and  Kingly  offices  the  three  func- 
tions of  the  Church. — The  Prophetic  function  illustrated  by  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount. — This  mission  that  of  the  Church  to- 
day.— The  Apostles'  work  of  imparting  the  Faith 23 

**  Teaching,"  in  relation  to  rules  of  Faith  and  Life,  defined. — This 
teaching  the  great  Apostolic  Mandate. — St.  Paul's  labours. — The 
Church   the    great   religious   teacher    to-day. — Early    Christian 

Schools  and  their  Influence 24 

Extent  of  true  Christion  education. — Scott  Holland  on  the  old 


CONTENTS.  XI 11 

PACE 

Greek  masters  of  theology. — The  Church  foremost  in  education 
in  the  Middle  Ages. — The  Church's  work  to-day  inadequate. — 
Contrasts  and  contradictions  in  the  Universities. — Not  so  irre- 
ligious as  depicted 27 

Modem  theologians'  weakness  not  the  result  of  weakness  in  the 
Faith  itself. — The  great  Verities  of  the  Faith  beyond  all  investi- 
gation.— Never  in  antagonism  with  science,  reason,  or  philoso- 
phy.— No  real  conflict  of  Classroom  and  Chapel 31 

Attitude  of  Church  toward  education  a  difficult  problem. — State 
schools  secular  from  necessity. — Parochial  schools  inadequate. — 
Broad  associations  best  for  the  student  for  later  social  environment  34 
Problem  met  byChurcli  Halls  in  Universities. — How  the  Church 
Hall  would  teach. — Correlation  of  Science  and  Religion,  Philoso- 
phy and  Faith. — The  teachings  of  history,  geography,  and  litera- 
ture        36 

The  Church's  existing  machinery  chiefly  the  Sunday-school. — 
A  modern  makeshift  replacing  neglect  of  home  and  parents. — 
The  Catechism  the  Church's  basis  of  instruction. — Duty  of  the 
Clergy  to  train  teachers. — ''Society  for  Home  Study  of  the  Holy 

Scriptures  " 39 

The  Pulpit  as  a  Church  organ  for  education. — Not  eloquence 
needed,  but  teaching  of  Faith  and  Life. — The  Old  Word  in 
modem  phrases 41 


III. 

RELIGIOUS    INSTRUCTION    IN    ENGLAND,   FRANCE,  GERMANY, 
AND    THE    UNITED     STATES. 

By  Chaeles  De  Garmo,  Ph.D., 
Professor  of  the  Science  and  Art  of  Education  in  Cornell  University. 

Origin  of  religious  instruction  in  English  schools. — Lancaster's 
labours  for  the  Dissenters. — Bell's  Church   of  England  work. — 

Lancaster's  scheme  of  paid  and  pupil  teachers. — Its  failure 49 

Government  grants  for  voluntary  schools. — Failure  of  the  sys- 
tem.— Organization  of  Board  schools.  —  Religious  instruction 
made  optional. — Government  inspection  of  secular  education. — 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

PACK 

American  schools  unfavourably  contrasted. — Rise  of  the  Sunday- 
school  system. — Two  systems  of  religious  instruction  side  by  side     52 
In  France  no  religious  instruction  in  public  schools. — Weekly 

holiday  for  denominational  religious  teaching 56 

In  Germany  day-schools  impart  the  religious  teaching. — Thor- 
oughness of  the  system. — Curriculum  broad  and  complete. — 
Critical  spirit  in  the  Universities. — Difference  in  teaching  for 
scholars  and  for  the  masses. — Religious  feeling  neglected. — New 

curricula  now  being  formulated 56 

The  United  States  compared  with  Europe. — Threefold  purpose 
of  religious  instruction. — Deficiency  of  Christian  knowledge  com- 
pared with  Europe. — Superiority  over  Europe  in  Christian  spirit 
and  Christian  conduct. — Improvements  suggested. — Better  peda- 
gogical system  needed. — Arrangement  of  material  for  various 
ages. — Period  of  adolescence  crucial. — Wrong   treatment   after 

adolescence 62 

Reaction  in  England  favours  subjective  spiritual  life. — Whitefield's 
and  Wesley's  systems  of  religious  exercises. — Similar  tendencies 
in  America. — Need  for  wiser  treatment. — Man's  relation  to  his 
fellow  men. — Universal  conditions,  not  accidental  circumstances, 
paramount. — Improvement  of  Sunday-schools 70 


IV. 

THE    CONTENT    OF    RELIGIOUS    INSTRUCTION. 

By  the  Very  Reverend  George  Hodges,  D.D., 
Dean  of  the  Episcopal  Theological  School,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

Content  of  religious  instruction  determined  by  its  purpose. — The 

day-school,  the  private  school,  and  the  public  school 79 

Purpose  of  the  Sunday-school  to  train  Christians  and  Church- 
men.— Parish  work  designed  to  build  up  Christian  and  Church 

character 80 

Content  of  religious  instruction  consists  of  Church  material  and 
Character  material.  —  What  constitutes  Character   material.  — 

Church  material. — The  light  of  personality. — Church  History 81 

The  distribution  of  material,  or  order  of  teaching. — Found  in  the 


CONTENTS.  XV 

PAGE 

Sunday-school  and  the  Congregation. — The  Sunday-school  and 

its  grades. — Teaching  in  the  Congregation 85 

The  Infant  School. — Small  children  have  only  memory  and  imag- 
ination.— Teach  what  may  be  partly  understood. — Imagination 
best  appealed  to  through  Bible  stories. — Systematic  and  graphic 

teaching. — Re-translation  of  Bible  for  children's  minds 86 

The  Main  School.— Course  of  Instruction. — The  Catechism  re- 
cited and  explained. — The  Bible. — The  historical  Ixjoks. — Teach- 
ing both  content  and  contents. — What  may  be  omitted. — The 
Prayer  Book  taught  by  use.  — Sample  Service. — Special  Ser- 
vices.— Stereopticon  exhibitions   89 

The  Congregation. — Sunday  Services. — Need  of  systematic  in- 
struction.— Haphazard  Preaching. — The  Preacher's  studies. — 
The  Confirmation  Class. — What  the  order  of  instruction  should 
cover. — Mid-week  Services.  — The  young  Minister's  experiment 
station. — Definite  Bible-study. — Sunday  evening  Services. — Ser- 
mon or  Lecture. — Requirements  of  a  Lecture  course 94 


V. 

THE    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    AND    ITS    COURSE    OF    STUDY. 

By  the  Reverend  Pascal  Harrower, 
Chairman  of  the  Sunday-School  Commission,  Diocese  of  New  York. 

Principle  underlying  the  present  course  of  lectures. — Church 
school  educational. — Importance  of  education. — Object  of  the 

Church  school. — The  school's  work  for  civilization 105 

History  of  the  Church  school. — The  child  the  pivot  of  society. — 
The  Jewish  estimate  of  childhood. — Christ  and  the  child. — The 
early  Church  and  its  ministry  to  children. — Mutual  relations  of 
preaching  and  teaching. — Martin  Luther. — Archbishop  Dupan- 
loup. — The  ministry  of  catechizing. — Pedagogical  training  of  the 

ministry   107 

Preparation  of  a  course  of  study. — Church  school  more  than  a 
Bible  school. — Curriculum  a  problem  for  trained  educators. — The 

subject-matter,  or  lesson-material in 

The  Church  Catechism. — Errors  in  teaching 113 


xvi  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

The  Bible. — International  Sunday-School  Lessons. — Deffects  of 
this  and  similar  schemes. — What  the  Bible  is. — Its  educational 
value. — Bible-study  in  American  colleges. — Moral  value  of  liter- 
ary Bible-study. — The  method  of  Jesus 114 

Nature-study. — ^Jesus  near  to  the  heart  of  Nature 121 

Sacred  geography 122 

History.  —The   "Free  Church"  Text  Books.  —  The  Oxford 

Manuals 123 

Christian  ethics. — The  contemporary  Christ. — First  contact  of 

youth  with  the  world. — Responsibility  of  the  Church 124 

The  Prayer'Book  and  the  Christian  Year 125 

Conclusion. — The  Church  needs  the  aid  of  trained  educators  .  . .    126 


VI. 

THE  PREPARATION  OF  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHER. 

By  Walter  L.  Hervey,  Ph.D., 

Examiner,  New  York  Board  of  Education;  Former  President, 

Teachers  Cpllege. 

Primary  assumptions  as  to  function  of  teacher  and  teaching. — 

Three  problems:  Subject-matter;  Pupil;  Teacher 131 

The  Subject-matter. — Two  ways  of  learning  and  teaching  :  The 

Poet's  and  the  Philosopher's  ways 132 

The  Poet's  way. — Power  of  dramatic  imagination. — Its  use  in 
Bible-teaching. — Illustration :  SS.  Peter  and  John  at"  Beautiful 
Gate  of  the  Temple. — Telling  the  story  realistically. — Illustra- 
tion :  Story  of  "Cadmus"  as  told  by  Bullfinch,  Addison,  and 
Hawthorne. — Application  of  this  method  to  religious  teaching  . .  132 
The  Philosopher's  way. — Getting  at  the  meaning. — Illustrations. 
— Danger  of  wrong  interpretations. — Precise  meaning  of  every 

paragraph  to  be  sought 140 

Directions  for  the  study  of  any  subject-matter. — Buried  meta- 
phors.— Illustrations. — Personal  assimilation. — Pupil's  know- 
ledge of  the  subject. — Catechism,  etc.,  compared  with  the  Bible  144 
The  Pupil. — General  principle  in  dealing  with  him. — The  prin- 
ciple applied. — Ideas  in  pairs. — Illustrations. — Paraphrasing. — 
Appreciation  of  Roman  history  evidenced  in  modern  slang. — A 


CONTENTS.  xvii 

PAGE 

Biblical  title-page. — Special  rule  from  general  principle. — Intro- 
ducing a  subject  to  the  class. —  Additional  points  of  insight  re- 
quired by  teacher. — Illustrated  by  Hamlet  and  Guildenstern. — 

An  argument  for  child-study 147 

The  Teacher. — Must  distinguish  between  external  and  internal 
authority. — Must  help  the  pupil  to  find  the  truth  for  himself. — 
Must  set  the  Bible  in  its  proper  place. — Must  lay  stress  on  Jesus 

Christ  in  the  child-life 154 

General  negations. — What  not  said  or  meant 157 


VII. 

THE    RELIGIOUS    CONTENT    OF    THE    CHILD-MIND. 

By  G.  Stanley  Hall,  D.D., 
President  of  Clark  University. 

The  study  of  child-development  a  recent  movement. — The  child 
the  general  type  of  the  species. — Difficult  to  observe  laws  of 

child-growth  in  Sunday-school  teaching l6i 

Principles  of  child-evolution. — The  stages  passed  through  in  all 
animal  formations. — This  law  necessary  to  perfect  humanity.— 
Froebel's  doctrine. — The  corner-stone  of  the  new  pedagogy. — 

The  coming  of  Christianity 165 

The  child's  religious  evolution  follows  same  general  law. — Seen 
in  his  fetish-worship  and  in  his  love  of  Nature  and  his  personifi- 
cation of  her. — Natural  religions  also  prove  it 168 

Importance  of  Nature-study  in  the  Sunday-schools. — Power  of 
Nature  in  all  savage  and  primitive  religions. — Something  of  such 
religions  should  be  taught  in  Sunday-schools. — Proper  uses  of 
the  Bible  in  teaching. — Personal  application  of  Christ's  saving 

grace  should  come  later 172 

Importance  of  the  adolescent  period  of  youth. — Altruism  the  es- 
sence of  religion. — The  end  and  aim  of  education. — The  time  for 
completing  religious  education. — Cultivation  and  elevation  of  the 
sentiment  of  love. — Danger  of  neglect  of  these  principles. — Reli- 
gion must  not  be  awakened  too  early. — Precocity. — Adolescence 
and  conversion. — Science  and  the  reality  of  sin. — Degeneration. 


xviu  CONTENTS. 


— Terrible  effects  of  sin   upon  conscience. — Bible   shows  close 

connection  with  Psychology 178 

Childhood  the  best  period  f6r  teaching  and  training. — Shown  by 
study  of  biology. — Childhood  the  noblest  humanity. — The  teach- 
ing best  for  children 186 


VIII. 

THE   USE   OF   BIOGRAPHY  IN   RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

By  Frank  Morton  McMurry,  Ph.D., 

Professor  of  "The  Theory  of  Teaching-,"  in  Teachers  College, 
Columbia  University. 

The  two  fundamental  principles  of  all  instruction. — Law  must 
control  all  instruction,  religious  or  secular. — Object  of  instruction 

is  to  develop  permanent  interest , 193 

Importance  of  biography  in  religious  instruction. — Depends  on 
our  aspect  of  the  Bible. — This  must  be  decided  before  attempting 
to  teach. — This  decision  equally  important  in  day-school  instruc- 
tion.— Bible  content,  and  hence  Bible  instruction  mainly  history  195 
Selected  summary  of  a  biographical  Bible  instruction. — This 
treatment  does  not  exclude  Biblical  literature  or  underlying 
truths. — Illustrations   from    the    story  of  Joseph. — History  the 

groundwork  of  this  teaching 197 

Reason  for  the  biographical  treatment  of  the  Bible  in  teaching. ^ — 
Tendency  of  children  to  personify  everything. — Geography,  his- 
tory,  Nature-study,   and  science  now  taught  by  personification 

method 198 

Why  biography  interests  and  holds  the  child.— It  gives  facts  cor- 
rectly.— Therefore  close  relation  is  needed  between  the  various 
lessons. — No  such  relation  in  present  systems. — Biography,  be- 
ing concrete,  appeals  to  children. — Literature  accepts  this  prin- 
ciple.— Sunday-schools  have  ignored  it,  to  their  detriment. — 
Illustration  of  possible  abuse.— Proper  relation  of  concrete  to 
abstract  ten  to  one. — Hence  religious  instruction  should  be  main- 
ly by  narrative. — Biography  forms  good  groundwork  for  other 


CONTENTS.  XIX 

PAGE 

facts.  — Helpful  in  reviews,  and  a  good  basis  for  examination  of 

teachers 201 

Age  best  suited  for  study  of  biograpliy. — Teachers  must  deal 
chiefly  with  facts 2 10 


IX. 

THE  USE  OF   GEOGRAPHY   IN   RELIGIOUS   INSTRUCTION. 

By  Charles  Foster  Kent,  Ph.D., 
Professor  of  Biblical  Literaiure  and  History  in  Brown  University. 

Biblical  geography  of  utmost  importance  in  any  thorough  study. 
— Its  use  in  Sunday-schools. — Makes  history  real. — Geography 
of  Palestine  moulded  character  and  history  of  its  people. — In 
geography  past  and  present  meet.  How  to  make  its  results  of 
practical  value. — Importance  in  general  education. — Biblical 
geography    now    incompletely    taught. — Importance     of     good 

Sunday-school  libraries 215 

Suggested    books    for    Sunday-school    libraries.  ^  Palestine. — 

Egypt. — Babylonia. — Asia  Minor 224 

Wall-maps 226 

Palestine  Exploration  Fund. — Maps  and  books 226 

Divisions  or  departments  of  Biblical  geography. — Descriptive 
geography:  Palestine,  Egypt,  and  Assyria. — Physical  geography: 
Palestine,  its  six  zones  and  rivers. — Geological  geography. — 
Commercial  geography. — Racial  geography.  —  Historical  geo- 
graphy        227 

How  to  study  Biblical  geography. — Make  its  scope  comprehen- 
sive.— Study  the  earth  in  its  relation  to  man. — Geography  but  a 

step  to  Bible  -study 240 

Does  scientific  study  produce  personal  religious  interest? — Per- 
sonal faith  seldom  unsettled  by  it. — New  interest  in  the  Bible  and 
its  teaching  is  produced. — College  students  taking  elective  Bible 
courses. — Increasing  number  of  Bible  students  in  universities. — 

Necessity  of  true  scientific  methods 242 

Samaria  and  Judea  are  merged  rather  than  possessed  of  a  true 
boimdary 248 


XX  CONTENTS. 

X.  • 

THE   STUDY  OF   THE   BIBLE  AS   LITERATURE. 

By  Richard  G.  Moulton,  M.A., 
Professor  of  Literature  in  Chicago  University. 

PAGE 

What  literary  study  of  the  Bible  is. — Fundamental  principle  of 
intimate  connection  between  matter  and  form  in  literature. — 
Illustrated  by  Solomon's  Song  and  the  two  views  of  its  inter- 
pretation, the  application  of  Bible  verses,  and  the  true  literary 

form  of  Psalm  VIII 25 1 

Three  main  forms  of  Bible-study:  Devotional,  Higher  Criticism, 
and  Literary. — Devotional :  possible  errors  in  interpretation, 
with  illustrations. — Critical  and  literary,  illustrated  by  Book  of 

Micah 258 

Our  right  to  a  literary  study  of  the  Bible. — Original  form  lost  in 
the  '*Age  of  Commentary. " — Steps  toward  recovery  of  true  form  265 
How  to  study  the  Bible  as  literature. — Necessity  of  suitable 
printing. — Present  imperfect  printing. — Study  by  Books,  not  by 
verses. — Illustration  from  Deuteronomy. — That  Book  chiefly  one 
of  orations. — Analysis  of  Deuteronomy. — The  principle  enun- 
ciated.— The   Bible   a  library  rather  than   a   single   volume. — 

Contents  of  the  real  Bible  library 268 

Literary  study  of  the  Bible. — Three  stages. — The  stage  of 
Stories,  illustrated  by  Genesis. — The  stage  of  Masterpieces, 
illustrated  by  Deborah's  Song. — The  stage  of  Complete  Literary 
Groups,  illustrated  by  Bible  History  in  the  Old  Testament. — 
Analysis  of  the  Pentateuch,  illustrated  by  Bible  Philosophy  or 

Wisdom. — Analysis  of  the  Books  of  Wisdom 277 

General  conclusion. 287 

Topical  Index 289 


I. 


RELIGIOUS     INSTRUCTION    AND    ITS 
RELATION    TO    EDUCATION. 

By  Professor  Nicholas  Murray  Butler,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.,  of 
Columbia  University. 


SYNOPSIS   OF  LECTURE  I. 

True  Education  a  Unitary  Process. 

Definition  of  Education. 

Educational  Principles. 

Environment,  Spiritual  and  Physical. 

Elements  in  Spiritual  Environment  or  Civilization. 

Religious  Training  merely  part  of  Education  as  a  whole. 

Its  Separation  an  outgrowth  of  Protestantism  and  Democracy. 

Pre-Reformation  Period. 

Rise  of  Protestant  Influence. 

Democracy  and  Sectarianism. 

State-supported  Schools  exclude  Religion. 

Supreme  Court  Decisions  against  Religious  Training  in  State  Schools. 

General  American  View. 

View  in  France. 

Family  and  Church  supplement  the  State  Instruction. 

Place  and  Importance  of  Religion. 

Universality  of  Religion. 

Moral  and  Civic  Instruction  no  Substitute  for  Religion. 

The  Work  of  the  Sunday-school. 

Its  Organization  and  Methods. 

Its  Teachers. 

Its  Courses  of  Study. 

Religious  Ignorance  seen  even  in  Universities  and  Colleges. 

Heart  and  Feelings  best  reached  by  developing  Intellect  and  Will. 


RELIGIOUS    INSTRUCTION    AND    ITS    RE- 
LATION   TO   EDUCATION. 

The  problems  of  what  is  called  religious  education 
are  part  of  the  problem  of  education  as  a  whole. 

True  education,  as  distinguished  from  the  innumer- 
able false  uses  of  the  word,  is  a  unitary  process.  It 
knows    no    mathematically    accurate    sub-   „ 

''  True  educa- 

divisions.  It  admits  of  no  chemical  analy-  tionanni- 
sis  into  elements,  each  of  which  has  a  real  ^^yp^°°^^^' 
existence  apart  from  the  whole.  When  stretched 
upon  a  dissecting-table,  education  is  already  dead. 
Its  constituent  parts  are  interesting  and,  in  a  way, 
significant;  but  when  cut  out  of  the  whole,  they  have 
ceased  to  live.  They  are  no  longer  vital,  or  truly 
educational.  For  this  reason  I  insist  that  while 
there  is  and  may  be  a  religious  training,  an  intellec- 
tual training,  a  physical  training,  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  religious  education,  or  intellectual  educa- 
tion, or  physical  education.  One  might  as  well 
imagine  a  triangular  or  a  circular  geometry.  We 
do  not  at  once  feel  the  force  of  this  statement, 
because  of  our  loose,  inaccurate,  and  inexact  use  of 
the  word  ''  education." 

In  my  view  education  is  part  of  the  life-process. 

3 


4  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  ^ND  EDUCATION. 

It   is   the   adaptation   of  a   person,   a  self-conscious 

being,   to   environment,  and   the   develop- 

Defimtion  of  jyj^nt  of  Capacity  in  a  person  to  modify  or 

education.  r         j  f  j 

control  that  environment.  The  adaptation 
of  a  person  to  his  environment  is  the  conservative 
force  in  human  history.  It  is  the  basis  of  continuity, 
solidarity.  The  development  in  a  person  of  capacity 
to  modify  or  control  his  environment  gives  rise  to 
progress,  change,  development.  Education,  there- 
fore, makes  for  progress  on  the  basis  of  the  present 
acquisitions  of  the  race.  Its  soundest  ideals  forbid, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  both  neglect  of  the  historic 
past,  and  the  blind  worshipping  of  that  past  as  an 
idol.  The  importance  of  the  past  lies  in  its  lessons 
for  the  future.  When  the  past  has  no  such  lessons, 
we  forget  it  as  quickly  as  possible.  The  survival  of 
a  tendency,  a  belief,  or  an  institution  is  evidence  that 
it  is  at  least  worth  studying  and  that  it  must  be 
reckoned  with.  These  tendencies,  beliefs,  and  insti- 
tutions are  studied  and  reckoned  with  for  the  purpose 
of  discovering  their  vital  principles  and  of  putting  a 
value  upon  them.  The  working  out  of  those  vital 
principles  is  the  future. 

In  this  view,  education  is  first  and  chiefly  a  matter 
of  principles.  Then,  and  secondarily,  it  is  a  matter 
of  methods.  The  place,  character,  and  function 
Educational  ^^  religious  training  are  to  be  settled,  and 
principles.  Q^ly  to  be  settled,  by  reference  to  funda- 
mental educational  principles. 

The  first  of  these  principles,  and  one  of  the  most 
far-reaching,  is  discovered  in  framing  an  answer  to 
the  questions,  What  is  the  present  environment  of  a 


RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION.  5 

human    being  ?     What   do   we   mean  by  the  use  of 
the  word  ' '  environment, ' '  and  what  do  we 

Environment. 

include  in  it,  when  we  speak  of  it  as  that 
to  which  education  tends  to  adapt  a  person  ?     We 
mean,   I  think,    by  the   word    "environment"   two 
things:     first,    man's     physical     surroundings,    and, 
second,  that  vast  accretion  of  knowledge  and  its  re- 
sults in  habit  and  in  conduct,  which  we  call  civiliza- 
tion.     Natural  forces  play  no  small  part  in  adapting 
human  beings  to  both  elements  of  environment,  but 
the  process  of  education  is  especially  potent  as  re- 
gards adaptation  to  the  second  element,  civilization. 
Civilization — man's    spiritual    environment,    all    his 
surroundings  which  are  not  directly  physical — this  it 
is    which  has   to   be  conquered,   in   its   elements   at 
least,  before  one  can  attain  a  true  education.    It  is  of 
the  highest  importance  that  we  make  sure  that  we 
see  clearly  all  the  elements  of  the  knowledge  which 
is  at  the  basis  of  civilization,  and  that  we  give  each 
element  its  proper  place  in  our  educational  scheme. 
We  may  approach  the  analysis  of  our  civilization, 
or  spiritual  environment,  from  many  different  points 
of  view,  and  perhaps  more  than  one  classi-   g  jj^^^^^j 
fication  of  the  results  of  that  analysis  may  environment 
be    helpful.      The     classification    which    I 
suggest,  and  which  I  have  stated  elsewhere  in  detail,* 
is  a  fivefold  one.     It  separates  civilization  into  man's 
science,   his  literature,  his  art,  his  institutional  life, 
and   his   religious   beliefs.      Into  one  or  another   of 
these  divisions  may  be   put  each   of  the  results   of 

*  See  Butler,  *'  The  Meaning  of  Education,"  pp.  17-31. 


6  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION. 

human  aspiration  and  of  human  achievement.  Edu- 
cation must  include  knowledge  of  each  of  the  five 
elements  named,  as  well  as  insight  into  them  all  and 
sympathy  with  them  all.  To  omit  any  one  of  them 
is  to  cripple  education  and  to  make  its  results  at  best 
but  partial.  A  man  may  be  highly  instructed  and 
trained  in  science  alone,  or  in  literature,  or  in  art,  or 
in  human  institutions — man's  ethical  and  political 
relationships — or  in  religion,  but  such  a  man  is  not 
highly  educated.  He  is  not  educated,  strictly  speak- 
ing, at  all,  for  one  or  more  of  the  aspects  of  civiliza- 
tion are  shut  out  from  his  view,  or  are  apprehended 
imperfectly  only,  and  without  true  insight. 

If  this  analysis  is  correct,  and  I  think  it  is,  then 
religious  training  is  a  necessary  factor  in  education 
T,  v  .  and  must  be  g"iven  the  time,  the  attention, 

Religious  .  . 

training  one    and  the  serious,  continued  treatment  which 

of  the  five         •,     i  nri     i.        ^•    •  ^      •    •         •  i. 

divisions  of  ^^  deserves.  Ihat  religious  training  is  not 
education.  at  the  present  time  given  a  place  by  the 
side  of  the  study  of  science,  literature,  art,  or  of 
human  institutions,  is  well  recognised.  How  has 
this  come  about }  How  are  the  integrity  and  the 
completeness  of  education  to  be  restored  1 

The  separation  of  religious  training  from  education 
as  a  whole  is  the  outgrowth  of  Protestantism  and  of 
Its  separa-      Democracy.     A  people  united  in  professing 

tion  an  out-  .  .  .    ,     .  ,      .  .    , 

growth  of  a  religion  which  is  ethnic  or  racial,  or  a 
Protestant-     nation  p^iving-  adhesion  to  a  sine^le  creed  or 

ism  and  . 

Democracy,  to  one  ecclesiastical  organization,  always 
unite  religious  training  with  the  other  elements  of 
education  and  meet  no  embarrassment  or  difficulty 
in  so  doing.      During  the  undisputed  dominance  of 


RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION.  7 

the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  Europe,  education 
not  only  included  religious  training  as  a  matter  of 
course,  but  it  was  almost  wholly  confined  to  religious 
training.  Theology  was  the  main  interest  of  the 
Middle  Ages,  and  the  theological  interest 

....  .    .  ,  Protestantism. 

caused  religious  training  to  permeate  and 

subordinate  whatever  instruction  was  given  in  other 
subjects.  Music  was  taught,  that  the  church  services 
might  be  well  rendered.  Arithmetic  and  astronomy 
were  most  useful  in  fixing  the  Church  Festivals  and 
the  calendar.  With  the  advent  of  the  Protestant 
Reformation  all  this  was  changed.  Religion  was 
still  strenuously  insisted  upon  as  a  subject  of  study, 
but  the  other  subjects  of  instruction  became  increas- 
ingly independent  of  it  and  were  gradually  accorded 
a  larger  share  of  time  and  attention  for  themselves 
alone. 

Protestantism,  however,  would  not  by  itself  have 
brought  about  the  secularization  of  the  school,  as  it 
exists  to-day  in  France  and  in  the  United 
States.  Democracy  and  the  conviction 
that  the  support  and  control  of  education  by  the 
state  is  a  duty  in  order  that  the  state  and  its  citizens 
may  be  safeguarded,  have  necessarily  forced  the 
secularization  of  the  school.  Under  the  influence  of 
the  Protestant  Reformation  and  that  of  the  modern 
scientific  spirit,  men  broke  away  from  adherence  to 
a  single  creed  or  to  a  single  ecclesiastical  organiza- 
tion, and  formed  diverse  sects,  groups,  parties,  or 
churches,  differing  in  many  details  from  each  other 
— the  differences,  I  regret  to  add,  being  far  more 
weightily  emphasized  than  the  more  numerous  and 


8  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION. 

more    important    points    of  agreement.      When    the 
state-supported  school  came  into  existence, 

State  support  ^j^j^  ^^^^^  ^^  religious  diversity  found  ex- 
01  schools.  ^  °  ■' 

pression  in  dissatisfaction  with  the  teach- 
ing, under  state  auspices,  of  any  one  form  of  religious 
belief.  The  first  step  toward  the  removal  of  this 
dissatisfaction  was  to  reduce  religious  teaching  to 
the  lowest  possible  terms ;  and  these  were  found  in 
the  reading  of  the  Bible,  the  recitation  of  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  and  the  singing  of  a  devotional  hymn  at  the 
opening  of  the  daily  school  exercise.  But  even  this 
gave  rise  to  complaint.  Discussions  arose  as  to 
whether  a  single  version  of  the  Bible  must  be  used 
in  these  readings,  or  whether  any  version,  chosen  by 
the  reader,  might  be  read.  A  still  more  extreme 
view  insisted  that  the  Bible  itself  was  a  sectarian 
book,  and  that  the  non-Christian  portion  of  the  com- 
munity, no  matter  how  small  numerically,  were  sub- 
jected to  a  violation  of  their  liberties  and  their  rights, 
when  any  portion  of  the  public  funds  was  used  to 
present  Christian  doctrine  to  school  children,  even 
in  this  merely  incidental  way.  The  view  that  the 
state-supported  schools  must  refrain  absolutely  from 
exerting  any  religious  influence,  however  small,  is 
one  which  has  found  wide  favour  among  the  American 
people.  It  has  led  to  more  or  less  sweeping  provi- 
sions in  State  constitutions  and  in  statutes  against 
sectarian  instruction  of  any  kind  at  public  expense. 
A  judicial  decision  on  this  subject  of  great  interest 
and  of  far-reaching  importance  is  that  rendered  in 
1890  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  Wisconsin,  in  the 
case  of  the  State  ex  r^/.  Weiss  and  others  vs.  the 


RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION.  9 

District  Board,  of  School  District  No.  6,  of  the  city  of 
Edgerton.^^     In  this  case  the  essential  ques-   Wisconsin 
tion  at  bar  was  whether  or  not  the  readine   ^°P-®^® 

c>    Court  de- 

of  the  Bible,  in  King  James'  version,  in  cision. 
the  public  schools  was  sectarian  instruction,  and  as 
such  fell  within  the  scope  of  the  constitutional  and 
statutory  prohibitions  of  such  instruction.  In  an 
elaborate  and  careful  opinion  the  court  held  that 
reading  from  the  Bible  in  the  schools,  although  un- 
accompanied by  any  comment  on  the  part  of  the 
teacher,  is  ' '  instruction  ' ' ;  that  since  the  Bible  con- 
tains numerous  doctrinal  passages,  upon  some  of 
which  the  peculiar  creed  of  almost  every  religious 
sect  is  based,  and  since  such  passages  may  reason- 
ably be  understood  to  inculcate  the  doctrines  predi- 
cated upon  them,  the  reading  of  the  Bible  is  also 
'*  sectarian,  instruction  "  ;  that,  therefore,  the  use  of 
the  Bible  as  a  text-book  in  the  public  schools  and 
the  stated  reading  thereof  in  such  schools,  without 
restriction,  "has  a  tendency  to  inculcate  sectarian 
ideas, ' '  and  falls  within  the  prohibition  of  the  consti- 
tution and  the  statutes. 

In  this  decision  there  are  some  very  interesting 
observations  on  the  general  question  of  religious 
training  and  the  place  of  the  Bible  in  education. 
The  court  says,  for  example:  ''The  priceless  truths 
of  the  Bible  are  best  taught  to  our  youth  in  the 
church,  the  Sabbath  and  parochial  schools,  the  social 
religious  meetings,  and,  above  all,  in  the  home  circle. 
There  those  truths  may  be  explained  and  enforced, 

*  Wisconsin  Supreme  Court  Reports,  76:  177-221. 


lo        RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION. 

the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  child  guarded  and  pro- 
tected, and  his  spiritual  nature  directed  and  culti- 
vated, in  accordance  with  the  dictates  of  the  parental 
conscience."  Judge  Orton,  in  a  supplementary 
opinion,  adds:  "[The  schools]  are  called  by  those 
who  wish  to  have  not  only  religion,  but  their  own 
religion,  taught  therein  '  Godless  schools. '  They 
are  Godless,  and  the  educational  department  of  the 
government  is  Godless,  in  the  same  sense  that  the 
executive,  legislative,  and  administrative  depart- 
ments are  Godless  So  long  as  our  Constitution 
remains  as  it  is,  no  one's  religion  can  be  taught  in 
our  common  schools." 

The  Supreme  Court  of  Wisconsin  has  given  forci- 
ble, definite  expression  to  the  view  held  by  the  large 
General  majority  of  American  citizens,  and  has 
American  clothed  that  view  with  the  authority  of  law. 
^®^'  It  is  in  this  sense  and  for  substantially  the 

reasons  adduced  in  the  decision  which  I  have  quoted, 
that  the  American  public  school  is  secular  and  that 
it  can  give  and  does  give  attention  to  four  of  the  five 
elements  of  civilization  which  I  have  named — science, 
literature,  art,  and  institutional  life — but  none  to  the 
fifth  element — religion. 

In  France,  the  great  democratic  nation  of  Europe, 
the  case  is  quite  similar.  The  famous  law  of  March 
„.     .  28,     1882,    excluded    religious    instruction 

V  lew  m '  '  '  ^ 

France.  from  the  public  schools,  and  put  moral  and 
civic  training  in  its  stead.  M.  Ribiere,  in  defending 
this  provision  before  the  senate,  used  almost  the 
exact  language  later  employed  by  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Wisconsin.      He  held  that  the  elementary 


RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION.         n 

school,  maintained  by  the  state,  open  to  all,  could 
not  be  used  to  teach  the  doctrines  of  any  sect;  that 
it  must  be  neither  religious  nor  anti-religious,  but 
wholly  secular,  neutral.  M.  Paul  Bert,  who  pre- 
sented the  measure  to  the  chamber  of  deputies, 
pointed  out  that  the  "religious  neutrality"  of  the 
school  was  the  logical  outcome  of  the  principle  of 
the  freedom  of  the  individual  conscience.  "In  our 
eyes,"  M.  Bert  continued,  "this  argument  has  so 
great  force  that,  without  the  prohibition  of  religious 
instruction  in  the  schools,  compulsory  education 
would  appear  to  us  to  be  not  an  advantage,  but  a 
danger. ' '  In  order  that  opportunity  should  be  given 
to  parents  to  provide  religious  instruction  for  their 
children — this  is  explicitly  stated  in  the  law — the 
schools  are  closed  one  day  each  week,  other  than 
Sunday.  In  France,  Thursday,  not  Saturday  as  with 
us,  is  usually  taken  as  the  school  holiday. 

This,  then,  is  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  United 
States  and  in  France  as  regards  religious  training  in 
education.  The  influence  first  of  Protestantism  and 
then  of  Democracy  has  completely  secular-  State  edti- 
ized  the  school.  The  school,  therefore,  incomplete. 
gives  an  incomplete  education.  The  religious 
aspect  of  civilization  and  the  place  and  influence  of 
religion  in  the  life  of  the  individual  are  excluded  from 
its  view.  This  is  the  first  important  fact  to  be 
reckoned  with. 

The  second  fact  is  that  the  whole  work  of  educa- 
tion does  not  fall  upon  the  school.  It  cannot  do  so 
and  ought  not  to  do  so.  The  family,  the  Church,  the 
library,  the  newspaper,  society  itself,  are  all  educa- 


12         RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION, 

tional  institutions  as  truly  as  is  the  school.       The 

school  is  the  most  highly  organized  of  them 

State  schools  ^|j     j^^  ^-^^g  ^^^  methods  are  the  mostde- 

not  tne  only- 
source  of        finite.    But  it  is  quite  untrue  to  suppose  that 
education.  ,  i  •  i.  •    ^        j         i.-  j.-u  i 

notnmg  enters  mto  education  save  through 
the  medium  of  the  school-programme.  Therefore, 
it  does  not  follow  that  because  the  school  has  become 
secular,  all  religious  influence  and  training  have 
necessarily  gone  out  of  education.  If  the  school  is 
not  distinctly  religious,  it  is  even  more  distinctly  not 
anti-religious.  The  real  question,  then,  is: — What 
are  the  other  educational  factors,  especially  the  family 
and  the  Church,  doing  to  see  to  it  that  school  instruc- 
tion   is    rounded    out  into  education    through    their 

co-operation  }  It  is  the  duty  of  the  family 
and  the  ^^^  the  Church  to  take  up  their  share   of 

Ohurcli.  ^j^g    educational    burden,    particularly    the 

specifically  religious  training,  with  the  same  care, 
the  same  preparation,  and  the  same  zeal  which  the 
school  gives  to  the  instruction  which  falls  to  its  lot. 

Before  coming  to  the  implications  of  this  position, 
there  are  one  or  two  suggestions  which  must  receive 

passing  notice.  It  is  said — by  a  very  few 
importance  it  is  true — that  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
0  reigion.  j-eligion  other  than  mere  superstition,  and 
that  religion  is  not  universal  in  any  event,  and  there- 
fore that  the  fifth  element  of  our  civilization  is  but  an 
empty  name.  It  is  urged,  with  Petronius,  that  fear 
first  made  the  gods,  and  with  Feuerbach  that  religion 
is  man's  most  terrible  ailment.  These  contentions 
seem  to  me  to  arise  from  simple  ignorance,  alike  of 
history  and  of  human  nature.      There  is  a  response 


RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION.         13 

from  the  human  heart  and  from  the  recorded  thoughts 
and     deeds    of    civilized     men,    based    neither     on 
creduHty  nor  on  fear,  to  the  description   of  Hegel, 
that  "religion  is,  for  our  consciousness,  that  region 
in  which  all  the  enigmas  of  the  world  are  Definitious 
solved,    all   the   contradictions    of  deeper-   ofreiigion. 
reaching  thought  have  their  meaning  unveiled,  and 
where  the  voice  of  the  heart's  pain  is  silenced — the 
region   of  eternal   truth,   of  eternal   rest,    of  eternal 
peace."      If  religion  may  be  defined,   in  Dr.    Mar- 
tineau's    words,    as    "the     belief     and    worship    of 
Supreme  Mind  and  Will,  directing  the  universe  and 
holding    moral     relations    with     human    life, ' '    then 
civilization  is  unintelligible  without  it.      Much  of  the 
world's  literature  and  art,  and  the  loftiest  achieve- 
ments of  men,  are,  with  the  religious  element  with-- 
drawn,  and  without  the  motive  of  religion  to  explain 
them,   as    barren    as    the    desert    of   Sahara.       This 
proposition  hardly  needs  argument.     ' '  The  religiosity 
of  man   is  a   part  of  his   psychical    being. 
In  the  nature  and  laws  of  the  human  mind,    of  re%ion.  "^ 
in  its  intellect,  sympathies,  emotions,   and 
passions,  lie  the  well-springs  of  all  religions,  modern 
or  ancient,  Christian  or  heathen.      To  these  we  must 
refer,    by  these  we  must  explain,   whatever   errors, 
falsehood,    bigotry,   or   cruelty  have   stained    man's 
creeds  or  cults;  to  them  we  must  credit  whatever 
truth,    beauty,    piety,    and    love   have   glorified   and 
hallowed   his   long   search   for  the   perfect   and   the 
eternal.    .    .    . 

"  The  fact  is  that  there  has  not  been  a  single  tribe, 
no  matter  how  rude,  known  in  history  or  visited  by 


14        RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION. 

travellers,  which  has  been  shown  to  be  destitute  of 
religion  under  some  form."  ^ 

But  it  is  also  urged  that  a  satisfactory  substitute 
for  religious  training  is  to  be  found  in  moral  and  civic 
Moral  and  instruction.  This  view  is  widely  held  in 
civic  instruc-   France  and  has  led  to  some  rather  absurd 

tion  no  sut-  111 

stitutefor  consequences.  bo  scholarly  a  writer  as 
religion.  ]y[j.  fhomas  Davidson  has  just  now  urged 
this  view  upon  us  Americans,  f  He  is  able  to  do  so, 
however,  only  by  completely  identifying  religion  and 
philosophy — and  (as  I  think)  a  bad  philosophy  at 
that — in  his  definition  of  religion.  But,  in  fact,  the 
field  of  moral  and  civic  instruction  is  quite  distinct 
from  man's  religious  life;  it  belongs  to  the  institu- 
tional aspect  of  civilization.  The  moral  aspect  of 
life  has  long  since  come  to  be  closely  related  to  the 
Religion  is  religious  aspect,  but  nevertheless  the  two 
not  ethics.  are  quite  different.  A  religion,  indeed,  may 
be  quite  immoral  in  its  influences  and  tendencies. 
It  may  lead  to  cruelty  and  sensuality,  and  yet  be  a 
religion.  There  have  been  not  a  few  such.  To  con- 
fuse religion  with  ethics  is  to  obscure  both.  Religion 
must  be  apprehended  as  something  distinct  and 
peculiar,  if  it  is  to  be  apprehended  at  all.  Matthew 
Arnold  was  absolutely  wrong  when  he  wrote :  ' '  Re- 
ligion is  ethics  heightened,  enkindled,  lit  up  by  feel- 
ing; the  passage  from  morality  to  religion  is  made 
when  to   morality  is  applied  emotion."      It   is   still 


*  Brinton,  "  Religions  of  Primitive  Peoples,"  p.  30. 
I  "  American  Democracy  as  a  Religion,"  International  yournai  of 
Ethics y  October,  1899. 


RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION.         15 

easier  to  make  clear  and  enforce  the  distinction 
between  morality  and  religion,  if  we  substitute  for  the 
general  term  religion  the  highest  type  of  all  religions, 
Christianity.  It  is  Christianity,  of  course,  which  we 
have  in  mind  ^^•hcn  speaking  of  religion. 

My  argument  thus  far  has  aimed  to  make  it  clear 
that  religious  training  is  an  integral  part  of  education, 
that  in  this  country  the  State  school  does   The  proper 
not  and  cannot  include  relicrious  trainincr  in    ^^^^^^esfor 

•=•  ^5  religious 

its  programme,  that  it  must  therefore  be  education 
provided  by  other  agencies,  and  on  as  high  fwandthT" 
a  plane  of  efficiency  as  is  reached  by  in-  Church. 
struction  in  other  subjects,  and  that  moral  and  civic 
training  is  no  possible  substitute  for  religious  teach- 
ing. The  agencies  at  hand  for  religious  teaching  are 
the  family  and  the  Church,  and  in  particular  the 
special  school,  the  Sunday-school,  maintained  by  the 
Church  for  the  purposes  of  religious  training. 

The  Sunday-school  is  in  this  way  brought  into  a 
position  of  great  responsibility  and  importance,  for  it 
is,  in  fact,  a  necessary  part  of  the  whole  educational 
machinery  of  our  time.  It  must,  therefore,  be  made 
fully  conscious  of  the  principles  on  which  its  work 
rests  and  of  the  methods  best  suited  to  the  attainment 
of  its  ends. 

The  Sunday-school  must,  first  of  all,  understand 
fully  the  organization,  aims,  and  methods  of  the 
public  schools;  for  it  is  their  ally.  It  must  The  Sunday- 
take  into  consideration  the  progress  of  the  school, 
instruction  there  given  in  secular  subjects,  and  must 
correlate  its  own  religious  instruction  with  this.  It 
must  study  the  facts  of  child-life  and  development, 


1 6        RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION, 

and  it  must  base  its  methods  upon  the  actual  needs 
and  capacities  of  childhood.     It  must  organ- 

(9j)  Or^T^Liiizdi* 

tionand  ize  its  work  economically  and  scientifically, 
method.  ^^^  j^  must  demand  of  its  teachers  special 
and  continuous  preparation  for  their  work.  It  must 
realize  that  it  is,  first  and  above  all,  an  educational 
institution  and  not  a  proselytizing  one,  and  that  the 
inherent  force  of  the  truth  which  it  teaches  is  far 
greater  than  any  attempted  bending  of  that  truth  to 
special  ends.  It  must  cease  to  be  merely  a  part  oi 
the  missionary  work  of  the  parish,  and  become  a  real 
factor  in  the  educational  work  of  the  community. 
It  must  give  more  time  to  its  work,  and  the 
traditional  division  of  time  on  Sunday  will  have  to  be 
gradually  readjusted  in  order  to  make  a  serious 
Sunday-school  session  possible.  A  Saturday  session 
may  also  be  planned  for.  It  must  recognise  that 
ordinarily  no  single  parish  or  congregation  can  make 
proper  provision  for  the  religious  training  of  all  the 
young  people  under  its  care.  The  very  largest 
parishes  and  congregations  may  be  able  to  maintain 
a  fully  equipped  Sunday-school  for  children  from  five 
to  eighteen,  but  the  smaller  parishes  and  congrega- 
tions in  towns  and  cities  must  learn  to  combine  for 
their  common  good.  Each  parish  or  congregation 
may  readily,  and  ought  always,  to  maintain  a  Sunday- 
school  of  elementary  grade,  but  several  adjoining 
parishes  or  congregations  must  combine  in  order  to 
organize  and  support  a  proper  course  of  religious 
instruction  for  children  of  secondary  school  age  and 
beyond,  say  from  thirteen  to  eighteen  years.  In  a 
whole  city,  unless  it  be  New  York  or   Chicago  or 


RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION.         17 

Philadelphia,  one,  or  at  most  two,  training  classes 
for  Sunday-school  teachers  should  be  sufficient. 
Furthermore,  Sunday-school  teachers,  like  all  other 
teachers,  should  be  paid.  They  should  be  selected 
because  of  competence  and  special  training; 
they  should  be  led  to  look  upon  their  work 
not  as  philanthropy,  not  even  as  missionary  work, 
but  as  something  which  is  larger  than  either  because 
it  includes  both,  namely,  education.  The  several 
Christian  bodies,  so  long  as  they  remain  distinct,  will 
naturally  maintain  their  own  separate  Sunday-school 
systems  ;  but  within  any  given  branch  of  the  Christian 
Church,  be  it  Protestant  Episcopal,  Presbyterian, 
Methodist,  or  other,  all  of  the  principles  just  stated 
can  be  applied.  Sunday-schools  so  organized  could 
be  given  the  same  systematic  professional  supervision 
that  is  provided  for  the  secular  schools.  Each  body 
of  Christians  in  a  given  community  could  have  its 
own  Sunday-school  board  and  its  own  Sunday-school 
superintendent  and  staff  of  assistants.  Between 
some  Christian  bodies  actual  co-operation  in  Sunday- 
school  instruction  ought  to  be  possible.  For  the 
proper  organization  and  conduct  of  this  religious 
instruction,  there  must  be  a  parish  or  congregational 
appropriation,  or,  better  far,  an  endowment  fund,  to 
bear  the  legitimate  cost  of  religious  teaching  and  its 
systematic  professional  supervision. 

The  Sunday-school  course  of  study  must  be  looked 
after.  It  is  at  present — I  say  it  with  all  respect — too 
exclusively  pious.      Relicrion  is  much  more   ,    „ 

^    ^  ^  , .  1  ^c '  Course 

important   in  civilization   and   in   life   than   of  study. 
the   Sunday-school   now  teaches.      It  is   more  real. 


1 8        RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION. 

It  touches  other  interests  at  more  points.  The 
course  of  study  of  the  future  must  reveal  these  facts 
and  illustrate  them.  It  must  be  carefully  graded 
and  adjusted  to  the  capacity  of  the  child.  It  must 
reach  out  beyond  the  Bible  and  the  Catechism.  It 
must  make  use  of  biography,  of  history,  of  geography, 
of  literature,  and  of  art,  to  give  both  breadth  and 
depth  and  vitality  to  the  truths  it  teaches  and 
enforces.  It  must  comprehend  and  reveal  the  fact 
that  the  spiritual  life  is  not  apart  from  the  natural  life 
and  in  antagonism  to  it,  but  that  the  spirit  interpene- 
trates all  life  and  that  all  life  is  of  the  spirit.  The 
problem,  then,  is  not  religion  and  education,  but 
religion  in  education. 

This,  it  may  be  said,  is  a  radical  programme,  a 
Aradical  Counsel  of  perfection.  Perhaps  so.  If  so, 
programme,  it  will  provide  something  to  work  toward. 
It  will  at  least  bring  religious  teaching  under  the  in- 
fluence of  those  principles  and  methods  which  have 
of  late  years  so  vitalized  all  secular  teaching.  It  will 
give  to  it  modern  instruments,  text-books,  and  illus- 
trative material. 

Before  dismissing  these  suggestions  as  impracti- 
cable, because  in  part  unfamiliar,  it  is  well  to  face  the 
The  alterna-  3-lternative.  It  is  that  religious  knowledge, 
tive.  and  with  religious  knowledge  a  good  deal 

else  which  is  worth  saving,  will  go  out  of  the  life 
of  the  next  generation.  What  appears  important 
enough  to  the  elder  generation  to  be  systematically 
organized,  conscientiously  studied,  and  paid  for  in  a 
terrestrial  circulating  medium,  will  deeply  impress 
itself  upon    the   younger.      What    is  put  off  with  a 


RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  ^ND  EDUCATION.         19 

hurried  and   unsystematic  hour  on   Sunda)-  will   not 
long  seem  very  much  worth  while. 

Already  the  effects  of  the  present  policy  are  being 
seen.  To  the  average  college  student  the  first  book 
of  Milton's  Paradise  Lost  is  an  enigma.  Religious 
The  epithets,  the  allusions,  even  many  of  ignorance 
the  proper  names,  are  unfamiliar.  This  is  colleges. 
due  to  ignorance  of  the  Bible.  It  is  necessary 
nowadays  to  know  something  about  Christianity  as 
well  as  to  be  a  Christian.  The  study  of  history  and 
of  geography,  in  connection  with  the  spread  and 
development  of  Chistianity,  is  fascinating.  The  study 
of  biography,  in  connection  with  the  people  of  Israel 
and  Old  Testament  history  generally,  may  be  made 
to  put  plenty  of  life  into  much  that  is  now  dead  facts 
to  be  memorized.  For  older  pupils,  the  study  of 
church  history,  and  of  the  part  played  by  religious 
beliefs  and  religious  differences  in  the  history  of 
European  dynasties,  politics,  and  literature  will  make 
it  plain  how  moving  a  force  religion  is  and  has  been 
in  the  development  of  civilization.  Such  pupils,  too, 
are  able  to  appreciate  the  Bible  as  literature,  if  it  be  put 
before  them  from  that  point  of  view.  It  is  too  often 
treated  as  a  treasury  of  texts  only,  and  not  as  living 
literature  which  stands,  as  literature,  by  the  side  of  the 
world's  greatest  achievements  in  poetry  and  in  prose. 

The    heart    is    the    ultimate  aim  of   all    religious 
appeals.      But  the  heart  is   most  easily  reached  by 
informing  the  intellect  and  by   fashioning  Heart  best 
the  will.     Knowledge  and  conduct  react  on  [^tenegt^^ 
the  feelings,  and  the  feelings,  the  heart  (so  and  will. 
to  speak),  are   educated   and  refined  through  them. 


20        RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  AND  EDUCATION. 

This  fact  will  never  be  lost  sight  of  by  any  competent 
religious  teacher,  and  his  purpose  will  never  be  to 
amass  in  his  pupils  knowledge  about  religion  alone, 
but  to  use  such  knowledge  to  direct,  elevate,  and  re- 
fine the  religious  feelings  and  to  guide  and  form  con- 
duct into  character. 

It  is  along  such  lines  as  these  that  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Sunday-school,  from  a  phase  of  parish 
mission  work  into  an  educational  institution  of 
co-ordinate  rank  with  the  secularized  school  must 
take  place.  There  are  numerous  local  problems  to 
be  solved,  no  doubt,  and  not  a  few  practical  diffi- 
culties to  be  overcome,  but,  if  the  ideal  be  once  firmly 
grasped  and  the  purpose  to  reach  it  be  formed,  the 
result  cannot  be  doubtful. 


II. 


THE   EDUCATIONAL   WORK  OF   THE 
CHRISTIAN   CHURCH. 

By  the  Rt.  Rev.  William  Croswell  Doane,  D.D.,  LL.D., 
Bishop  of  Albany. 


SYNOPSIS  OF  LECTURE  11. 

The  Three  Functions  of  the  Christian  Church. 

The  Prophetic  Function,  as  Christ  fulfilled  it. 

The  Church  carries  on  His  Work. 

Definition  of  Teaching. 

Teaching  the  Apostolic  Mandate. 

The  Church  the  Great  Religious  Teacher. 

The  Extent  of  Truly  Christian  Teaching. 

Canon  Scott  Holland's  View. 

Educational  Work  of  the  Church  To-day. 

Religion  in  the  Universities.     Wrong  View  and  its  Answer. 

The  modern  Theologian's  Weakness  due  to  Erroneous  Theories  of 

the  Faith. 
The  Great  Verities  of  the  Christian  Faith  are  above  Investigation. 
Science  and  Religion  not  opposed  to  each  other. 
The  State-schools  and  Religious  Education. 
Inadequacy  of  Parochial  Schools  and  Colleges. 
Every  Large  University  should  have  a  Church  Hall. 
How  the  Church  Hall  would  educate. 
The  Wide  Responsibility  of  the  Church. 
The  Modern  Machinery  now   existing  :    (^a)  the  Sunday-school;    (<5) 

the  Pulpit. 
The  Sunday-school  and  the  Catechism. 
The  Sunday-school  and  the  Teachers,  their  Training,  etc. 
The  Place  of  the  Pulpit. 

Need  for  Preaching  of  Faith  and  Life,  more  than  for  Eloquence. 
It  is  the  same  Old  Word  given  in  modern  phrases. 


THE    EDUCATIONAL    WORK    OF    THE 
CHRISTIAN    CHURCH. 

It  is  a  plain  and  simple  fact,  a  trite  saying,  a 
truism,  almost,  that  in  the  three  offices  of  our  Lord's 
anointed  Messiahship  lie  involved  the  three   „, 

^  ,     .  Three  lunc- 

great  functions  of  the  Christian  Church,  tionsoftiie 
Prophet  He  was,  and  priest  and  king.  ^^^^^^' 
And  so  there  are  in  the  Church,  or  rather  so  He 
continues  in  the  Church,  the  things  which  St.  Luke 
says  He  only  "  began  to  do  and  to  teach"  ;  because 
in  the  Church's  faith,  in  the  Church's  sacraments, 
and  in  the  Church's  polity  or  order,  He  teaches  and 
offers  and  rules.  We  are  concerned  with  the 
prophetic  office,  as  He  filled  it,  and  as  He  entrusted 
it  to  the  Church  to  carry  on. 

Run  along  the  lines  of  the  story  as  we  find  it  ''in 
Holy  Scripture  and  ancient  authors."      The  Divine 
Master  spent  His  earthly  ministry,  until  the   Prophetic 
time  of  the  fulfilling  of  its  final  purpose,  in   ^hrSul- 
what  the  Apostles  describe  as  their  chief  filled  it. 
function,    "prayer,  and  the  ministry  of  the  Word." 
Sitting  upon    the    mountain    of  the    Beatitudes,    He 
began  His  public  teaching  with  the  unfolding  of  that 
marvellous  system  of  ethics,  the   clearest  and   most 

.  23 


24      THE  EDUCATIONAL    IVORK  OF   THE   CHURCH. 

comprehensive  compendium  of  morality,  of  the  rule 
of  life,  of  the  relation  between  man  and  God,  and 
between  man  and  man,  that  was  ever  spoken  to 
mortal  ear:  depicting  character,  defining  motive, 
dealing  with  the  great  principles  of  obedience,  of  wor- 
ship, of  prayer,  of  self-denial,  of  almsgiving,  of  mar- 
riage, of  modes  of  speech ;  and  detailing  the  great 
characteristic  virtues  of  meekness,  mercifulness,  and 
righteousness,  and  purity,  and  poverty  of  spirit,  and 
peacemaking:  so  that  the  world  sits  at  His  feet  to- 
day, as  did  the  people  who  heard  the  words  fall  from 
His  lips,  *' astonished  at  His  doctrine."  And  from 
that  day  on,  everywhere,  in  the  synagogue,  in  the 
upper  room,  in  the  house,  and  in  the  streets;  in  the 
fields,  on  the  lake-shore,  and  in  the  ship;  by  para- 
bles, by  doctrinal  discourses,  above  and  beyond  all, 
by  His  life  and  example.  He  is  the  Prophet,  the 
Teacher,  the  Educator  of  the  world. 

And  this  was  the  mission  that  He  gave  to  His 
followers.  They  were  to  '  *  disciple  all  nations  by 
Th  Ch  ii  baptism,"  and  then  "to  teach  them  to 
carries  on  observe  all  things,  whatsoever  He  com- 
iswor  .  manded  them."  This  was  the  work  for 
which  He  specially  endowed  them  with  the  Holy 
Spirit,  ' '  to  bring  all  things  to  their  remembrance, 
whatever  He  had  taught  them, "  '*  and  to  guide  them 
into  all  truth."  So  that  we  are  ready  to  expect, 
what  we  actually  find,  the  absorption  of  the  Apostles 
in  the  occupation  of  teaching.  I  am  not  particularly 
in  love  with  the  Revisers'  tendency  always  to  translate 
SiSax^i  by  the  word  '  teaching, '  because  it  seems  a 
little  to  dilute  the  fact  that  this  didax^j  was  a  distinct 


THE  EDUCATIONAL    IVORK  OF   THE   CHURCH.      25 

and  definite  form  of  words,  the  "faith  once  for  all 
delivered  to  the  saints."      But  I  am  quite   sure  that 
we  come  short  of  the  meaning  of  the  word,  and  the 
method     and    the     purpose     of    the    early 
Church,    if  we  confine   the   teachin^r  office   pefmitionof 

'  ^  teaching . 

only  to  its  religious  side;  the  faith,  the 
doctrine  certainly,  but  even  more  than  this,  the  whole 
teaching  and  training  of  the  Christian  life.  As 
between  the  rigorists,  who  know  nothing  in  religion 
but  doctrine,  and  the  sensationalists,  who  substitute 
emotional  excitement  for  the  impression  upon  the 
intelligence  of  fixed  and  positive  truth,  there  is  not 
much  to  choose.  Teaching  has  to  do  with  the  rule 
of  faith  and  with  the  rule  of  life.  It  appeals  not  only 
to  the  feelings,  to  the  conscience,  to  the  will ;  but  to 
the  intelligence  of  men. 

And  so  we  find  when  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  de- 
livered the  Apostles  out  of  the  common  prison, 
where  they  had  been  cast  because  they  Teachinff  the 
refused  to  obey  the  demand  '  *■  not  to  speak  Apostolic 
at  all  or  teach  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,"  the  message  to  them  was,  (and  they  obeyed 
it,)  *'Go,  stand  and  speak  in  the  Temple  to  the 
people  all  the  words  of  this  life.  "  * '  And  daily,  in 
the  Temple  and  in  every  house,  they  ceased  not  to 
speak  and  teach  Jesus  Christ. 

Nor  is  it  otherwise  with  the  great  Apostle  *  *  born 
out  of  due  time, ' '  whose  glory  was,  when  he  was  in 
prison  that  ' '  the  Word  of  God  was  not  St.  Paul, 
bound  ' ' ;  and  the  closing  record  of  whose  story 
in  the  Book  of  the  Acts  is  that  * '  Paul  dwelt  two 
whole  years  in  his  own  hired  house  and  received  all 


2  6      THE  EDUCATIONAL    IVORK  OF   THE  CHURCH. 

who  came  in  unto  him,  preaching  the  Kingdom  of 
God,  and  teaching  the  things  which  concern  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

We  are  somewhat  famiHar  with  that  old  word, 
**the  schoolmen,"  a  technical  mediaeval  title  for 
Christian  philosophers.  And  we  are  still  more 
familiar  with  a  certain  modern  softness  of  speech 
which  we  have  invented,  to  do  away  with  what  seems 
a  coarse  and  controversial  word,  namely,  ''parties 
in  the  Church,"  when  we  call  them  ''schools  of 
thought."  But  we  do  not  realize,  in  either  the 
The  Ohurcii  i^^diaeval  or  the  modern  use  of  the  word, 
the  great  the  facts  to  which  it  bears  witness,  namely, 
that  the  Church  is  the  great  teacher;  that 
its  educational  work  is  in  many  ways  its  first  and 
largest  work ;  and  that,  very  early  in  its  story.  Chris- 
tian schools  were  founded  and  carried  on,  in  which 
the  great  teachers  were  trained,  and  were  training 
disciples,  in  the  particular  form  of  truth  which  pre- 
sented itself  to  them.  They  were  tremendous  reali- 
ties and  tremendous  influences.  Antioch  and  Alex- 
andria and  Rome  stand  for  the  great  educational 
forces  of  the  post- Apostolic  age,  as  they  represented 
what  we  may  perhaps  call  Oriental,  Greek,  and  Latin 
philosophy  and  theology.  Nor  were  they  given  over 
only  to  the  discussion  of  technical  theological  ques- 
tions. Having  from  the  very  first  to  avoid  that 
curious  combination  of  natural  religion  and  Christian 
philosophy  called  gnosticism,  they  reached  out  into 
all  departments  of  thought  and  study  and  investiga- 
tion. 

That  oldest  contest  between  the  two  thoughts  of 


THE   EDUC/ITIONAL    JVORK   OF   THE   CHURCH.      27 

the  Transcendence  and  the  Immanence  of  God  has  its 
counterpart  in  what  we  may  call  the  transcendence 
and    the  immanence  of  Christian  teaching.      One  is 
the  theory  that  the  Church  is  only  set  to  teach  the 
articles  of  the  Christian  faith,  with  its  great  reservoirs 
of  resource  in  the  Bible,  tradition,  and  the 
Creeds ;  and  the  other,  the  far  truer  theory,  true  Christian 
that,    because  of  the  oneness  of  truth,    no  ^^^ching. 
matter  what  its  source  or  what  its  special  subjects, 
Christianity   has    to   do    with    every   department    of 
education.      The  schools,  as  they  were  called,  were 
the  successors  of  the  Porch  and  the  Grove.  Plato  and 
Aristotle  were  succeeded,  or  one  perhaps  might  say 
continued,  by  Clement  of  Alexandria  and    Origen, 
And    every    weapon    of    intellectual    polemics    was 
gathered  into  the  Christian  armoury  of  defence.    The 
sword   of  Goliath,    as   he   represents   unconsecrated 
intellect,  was  taken  into  the  hands  of  the  anointed 
of  God,  with  which  to  complete  the  victory  over  this 
giant  error. 

Canon  Scott  Holland  says  with  great  power  in  his 
* '  Logic   and   Life  "  :    "  We  have  lost  much  of  that 
rich  splendour,  that  large-hearted  fulness  of 
power,  which  characterizes  the  great  Greek  |^^^,^  ^"^.^^ 
masters  of  theology.    We  have  suffered  our 
faith  for  so  long  to  accept  the  pinched  and  narrow 
limits  of  a   most  unapostolic   divinity,    that   we   can 
hardly  persuade  people  to   recall  how  wide  was  the 
sweep  of  Christian  thought  in  the  first  centuries,  how 
largely  it  dealt  with  these  deep  problems  of  spiritual 
existence   and  development,  which    now  once   more 
impress  upon   us  the  seriousness  of  the  issues  amid 


2  8      THE  EDUCATIONAL    IVORK   OF   THE   CHURCH. 

which  our  souls  are  travelling.  We  have  let  people 
forget  all  that  our  creed  has  to  say  about  the  unity 
of  all  creation,  or  about  the  evolution  of  history,  or 
about  the  universality  of  the  divine  action  through 
the  Word.  We  have  lost  the  power  of  wielding  the 
mighty  language  with  which  Athanasius  expands  the 
significance  of  creation  and  regeneration,  of  incarna- 
tion and  sacrifice,  and  redemption  and  salvation  and 
glory. ' ' 

Nor  is  this  only  an  early  phase  of  the  Church's 
work.  It  has  been  its  characteristic  feature  all  along. 
Those  great  universities  and  schools  of  the  Middle 
Ages,  especially  from  the  thirteenth  century  on,  with 
their  great  names  of  Abelard  and  Peter  Lombard 
and  Duns  Scotus  and  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  "the 
angel  of  the  schools, "  as  he  was  called,  were  the 
continuance  of  this  method ;  and  the  old  foundations 
of  learning  in  England  and  on  the  Continent  bear 
witness  to  the  fact,  not  only  that  in  those  times 
learning  and  knowledge  were  almost  confined  to 
ecclesiastics  and  ecclesiastical  establishments;  but 
that  the  Church  recognised  its  duty  to  educate 
Christianity  and  to  Christianize  education.  That 
curious  creation,  Mallock, — who  poses  and  poises  on 
a  seesaw  of  sophisms,  between  apparent  agnosticism 
and  concealed  Roman  Catholicism,  — thinks  that  the 
security  of  the  Bible  depends  now  upon  that  Church 
which  locked  it  away,  for  ages,  from  the  people  in 
an  unknown  tongue ;  and  fills  its  Lectionary,  not 
with  Scriptures,  but  with  the  legends  of  her  innumer- 
able and  often  questionable  Saints. 

Tempting  as  this   line  of  thought  is,   I  am  con- 


THE  EDUCATIONAL    IVORK   OF   THE   CHURCH.       29 

strained  to  turn  from  it  to  more  immediate  and  per- 
sonal considerations  of  the  question  which  is  assigned 
to  me,  namely,  "the  Educational  Work  of  Educational 
the  Christian  Church  to-day.  "  And  I  wish  work  of  the 
to  speak  of  it  along  two  lines:  first,  the  '^^^  °'  *^' 
need  that  Christianity  shall  lay  hold  upon  the  people 
with  strong  and  vigorous  hand:  and  secondly,  that 
the  preaching  of  the  Church  to-day  needs  to  be 
deeper  and  broader  and  stronger,  in  its  definite  and 
persistent  presentation  of  doctrine. 

I  confess  myself  old-fashioned  enough  to  have 
been  shocked  and  startled  by  a  recent  editorial  in  a 
New  York  newspaper  headed  **  Religion  in  lutheUni- 
the  University. ' '  Beginning  with  the  state-  ^ersities. 
ment  that,  instead  of  compulsory  attendance  at  re- 
ligious services,  the  students'  attendance  is  sought 
by  making  the  service  attractive  in  the  chapels  them- 
selves, in  their  musical  programme,  and  in  the  elo- 
quence and  the  distinctively  modern  sympathies  and 
breadth  of  view  of  the  preacher,  the  article  goes  on : 
"  Yet  his  pulpit  utterances  are  often  in  sharp  contrast 
to  the  teachings  of  other  departments  of  the  university. 
He  talks  earnestly  of  God  and  of  the  influence  of  God 
in  the  world;  but  his  conception  of  God,  if  judged  by 
his  way  of  expressing  it,  is  apt  to  be  totally  at  vari- 
ance with  that  expounded  by  his  neighbour,  the  pro- 
fessor of  philosophy.  He  talks  of  love,  but  his 
hearers  have  already  learned  that  there  can  be  no 
affection  for  the  unknowable.  He  insists  that  men 
ought  always  to  pray;  but  his  words  of  petition  and 
request  sound  strange  to  the  student  of  science,  who 
cannot  take  a  step  in  his  own  department  save  on 


30      THE  EDUCATIONAL    IVORK  OF   THE   CHURCH. 

the  assumption  of  the  invariableness  of  natural  law. 
He  holds  up  the  Bible  as  profitable  for  reproof,  for 
correction,  and  for  instruction  in  righteousness,  and 
as  in  truth  the  very  word  of  God ;  but  those  who 
listen  are  being  elsewhere  taught  to  approach  the 
Bible,  as  they  approach  any  other  document,  to  dis- 
cover its  composite  authorship,  to  test  rigidly  its 
statements  of  alleged  facts,  and  to  separate  its  myths 
and  legends  from  its  historic  records.  No  wonder 
that  many  an  earnest  student  comes  to  feel  that 
somehow  things  do  not  hang  together,  and  that 
the  emotional  interest  of  the  religious  service  is  a 
bit  divorced  from  its  intellectual  basis.  The  grounds 
of  this  discrepancy  are  mainly  to  be  found,  we 
think,  in  the  persistent  adherence  to  ancient  formu- 
las and  modes  of  expression,  which  still  encumber 
so  much  of  even  the  most  advanced  theological 
thinking." 

I  believe  this  is  an  unfair  statement  of  university 
teaching  in  most  of  the  great  universities  of  America. 
Somewhat  careful  inquiry  has  only  discovered  that 
individual  professors,  in  some  few  instances,  turn  their 
influence,  in  the  classroom  and  in  their  personal  in- 
tercourse with  the  students,  towards  rationalism  and 
unbelief;  but  I  cannot  find,  and  I  cannot  believe, 
that  in  any  university  in  this  country,  this  is  either 
the  purpose  or  the  tendency  of  the  teaching,  as  a 
whole.  But  granting  its  possible  truth,  the  remedy 
proposed  by  the  writer  is  worse  than  the  disease.  As 
a  reduction  to  an  irrational  and  illogical  impossibility 
I  know  nothing  more  extraordinary.  Any  parent 
who,  with  the  knowledge  of  the  fact  (if  it  be  a  fact), 


THE  EDUCATIONAL    WORK  OF  THE  CHURCH.      3^ 

sends  a  boy  into  the  presence  of  such  a  poisonous 
personality  must  be  held  accountable  for  the  ship- 
wreck of  his  faith. 

"  The  modern  '  orthodox  '  theologian,"  the  writer 
continued,   "is  still  too   often  under  the  tyranny  of 
words  and  names.      He  still  talks  of  the  atonement, 
of  redemption,  of  the   Holy  Spirit,   of  the   The  modem 
resurrection,   and  of  the  future  life,  appar-   theologian's 
ently   unmindful  of  the  fact  that  many  of 
the  terms   themselves  belong  to  a    view   of   things 
long    since    rendered     untenable        Himself   much 
in  sympathy  with  modern  thought,   and  not  igno- 
rant of  the   havoc   which    science    and    philosophy 
have  played  with  old  formulas,  he  still  hugs  the  past, 
and  fancies  that  the  outgrown  clothes  of  a  former 
time  may  still  be  made  to  fit  the  bodies  of  critical 
and  thoughtful  men.     The  intention  is  good,  but  the 
result  disastrous.      There  can  be  no  sure  and  fruitful 
appeal  when  one's  words  must  constantly  be  inter- 
preted, and  their  particular  shade  of  meaning  care- 
fully or  acutely  explained.      It  is  the  weakness   of 
modern  theology  that,  with  the  best  intentions  and 
the  utmost  honesty  of  purpose  among  those  devoted 
to  it,  it  is  still  bound  to  an  outgrown  terminology, 
and  shows  too  little  willingness  to  cut  loose  from  its 
moorings  and  push  boldly  out  into  the  main  stream 
of  human   knowledge  and  thought.      It  is  this  un- 
willingness to  venture  something,  this  impotency  of 
expression  when   talking   of  the  religious    life,  that 
gives  to  theology  so   little   influence,  as  yet,  in  the 
university,  and  makes  some  of  the  most  eloquent  of 
modern  preachers  seem,   to   a  company  of   college 


32      THE  EDUCATIONAL    IVORK  OF   THE   CHURCH, 

students,   like    birds  who,   despite  much  beating  of 
the  air,  somehow  fail  to  fly. ' ' 

All  this  is  a  sheer  insult  to  the  intelligence  of 
thinkers,  to  the  honesty  of  teachers,  to  the  immuta- 
bility of  truth.  It  is  a  pctitio  pinncipiiy  a  begging  of 
the  whole  question,  to  which  an  answer  of  absolute 
denial  is  the  only  one  that  can  be  presented.  The 
atonement,    redemption,   the    resurrection, 

Erroneous  ^        r  ^•r  i 

theories  of  the  luture  life,  are  not  words  or  names. 
the  faith.  Certain  theories  about  them,  representing, 
for  instance,  the  anger  of  the  Father  appeased  by 
the  sacrifice  of  the  Son ;  or  teaching  a  limitation  of 
the  redemption  to  certain  elect  persons,  or  an  irre- 
sistible redemption  compelling  universal  salvation, 
no  matter  what  the  opposing  will  of  the  individual 
may  be;  or  turning  the  Christian  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection  into  a  statement,  whose  object-lesson 
is  a  mummy  and  whose  process  is  embalming, — these 
are,  like  all  human  accretions  and  additions,  in 
process  of  stripping  off  and  falling  away;  not  because 
of  science  and  philosophy,  but  because  of  the  gradual 
return  from  human  theories  to  divine  truths.  This 
is  one  of  those  curious  instances  of  a  complete  con- 
fusion of  thought,  under  an  apparent  clearness  of 
expression.  The  great  verities  of  the  Christian  faith, 
dreamed  of  and  foretold  from  the  first  ages  of  man's 
conscious  thought,  and  brought  to  light  by  the 
The  great       teaching  of  Jesus  Christ,    are    before   and 

verities  of  111 

Christian        beyond  and  above  and  apart  from  all  ques- 
faith  are         tions    of   philosophy  or    science   or    intel- 

above  all  m-  ... 

vestigation.     lectual  investigation.      They  are  facts  that 
centre  in,  and  gather  about,  and  grow    out  of,  the 


THE  EDUCATIONAL   WORK  OF  THE  CHURCH.     33 

one  great  fact,  and  the  one  great  personality  of 
human  history,  namely,  the  Incarnate  Son  of  God. 
They  are  not  in  opposition  to,  or  in  contradiction  of, 
or  in  antagonism  with,  any  achievement  of  science, 
any  attainment  of  reason,  any  conclusion  of  philoso- 
phy. They  are  in  the  upper  air,  the  higher  realm 
of  belief.  The  words  that  express  them,  all  imper- 
fectly, are  nevertheless  so  radiant  with  the  life  that 
they  contain,  holding  it  as  a  crystal  holds  the  light, 
that  if  you  break  them  even  into  their  component 
letters,  each  one  will  still  hold  and  still  show  forth 
the  illumination  and  the  vitality.  They  are  to-day, 
as  they  have  been  through  all  the  centuries,  the  con- 
solation and  the  inspiration  of  the  human  race.  And 
while  the  progressive  inquiries  of  philosophy  and  the 
advancing  discoveries  of  science  do  need  and  demand 
re-statement,  yes,  even  the  creation  of  a  vocabulary, 
the  coining  of  a  new  language,  because  the  words 
must  express  hitherto  unknown  facts;  the  cardinal 
points  of  theology,  the  essential  verities  of  religion, 
the  fundamental  articles  of  the  Christian  faith,  stand 
and  will  stand,  as  they  have  since  Nicea,  Chalcedon, 
and  Constantinople  framed  the  old  symbols,  un- 
changeable as  the  everlasting  hills. 

What  is  to  be  done,  then,  about  this  greatly  ex- 
aggerated  conflict  between  the   classroom  and    the 
chapel,   between  the  pulpit    and  the  pro-   « j^^.  .  ^ 
fessor  }    First  of  all,  I  think,  the  "  ne  sutor  classroom 
supra  crepidam,"   the  cobbler  sticking  to  ^^  cape. 
his  last.      By  which  I  mean  to  say  that  most  of  the 
trouble  is  made  by  the  crude  conclusions  of  secular 
teachers,  and  by  the  cruder  contradictions  of  religious 


34      THE  EDUCATIONAL   IVORK  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

teachers.  There  are  a  good  many  very  different 
spirits  of  investigation  among  men,  along  all  lines  of 
study.  Of  course  the  one  object  ought  to  be  to  dis- 
cover truth ;  to  accept  it  at  all  costs  and  in  all  con- 
fidence when  it  is  found,  whatever  may  be  the 
seeming  difficulties.  The  cost  may  be  the  sacrifice 
of  some  opinion,  cherished  because  associated  with 
the  traditions  and  impressions  of  all  our  lives;  but 
the  confidence  ought  to  be  that  no  real  discrepancy 
can  exist  between  or  among  any  truths  that  God 
yields  up  to  our  knowledge,  out  of  any  of  His 
innumerable  treasure-houses.  The  real  trouble  is 
(and  it  is  folly  to  conceal  it)  that  religious  teachers 
are  too  often  contending  for  certain  views  and  notions 
and  opinions  of  or  about  the  truth,  instead  of  for  the 
truth  itself.  And  the  other  greater  trouble  is  (and 
it  is  folly  to  conceal  that)  that  many  of  the  so-called 
scientists  hail  with  such  ghoulish  glee  any  discovery 
which  apparently  shows  the  errancy  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, that  they  give  the  impression,  at  any  rate,  that 
their  chief  object  in  life  is  to  diminish  the  authority 
of  the  Bible.  This  of  course  is  aside  from  the  prac- 
tical suggestion  of  this  discussion. 

The  attitude  of  the  Church  toward  education  is  a 
problem  difficult  to  solve.  Beginning  with  our 
The  State  public-school  System  of  education  and  going 
schools.  up  to  the  university,  we  must  face  the  fact 
that  the  State  is  obliged  to  educate  all  children,  for 
her  own  protection  against  the  dangerous  element  of 
illiteracy:  and  that  the  State  must,  so  far  as  her 
schools  are  supported  by  taxation,  absolutely  refuse 
to  allow  any  distinctive  religious  teaching  in  them. 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  IVORK  OF  THE  CHURCH.      35 

I  am  not  forgetting-  the  fact  of  the  equally  dangerous 
element  of  what  one  might  call  criminal  literacy; 
that  is  to  say,  of  the  possibility,  where  no  attempt  is 
made  to  affect  the  conscience  or  the  character,  in 
schools,  of  simply  making  criminals  more  capable 
by  knowledge,  than  they  would  be  without  it.  If 
learning  the  three  R's,  as  they  are  called,  means 
merely  to  induce  boys  to  become  railroad-wreckers 
by  reading  the  American  equivalents  for  the  Penny 
Dreadful;  to  make  accomplished  instead  of  clumsy 
forgers ;  or  to  make  men  more  competent  than  they 
would  be  if  they  were  ignorant  of  arithmetic,  to 
make  false  entries  and  so  rob  their  employers;  it 
goes  without  the  saying  that  the  State  has  hurt  itself 
by  its  very  effort  at  education.  But  at  the  same 
time  it  is  idle  to  argue  the  question,  it  seems  to  me, 
as  though  it  were  an  open  one,  as  against  the 
common-school  system,  which,  even  if  it  is  without 
religion,  ought  not  to  be  called  ''Godless";  or  to 
attempt  by  any  device,  out  of  school  hours,  to  inject 
religious  teaching  into  it.  The  moralities,  the 
recognition  of  God,  of  personal  responsibility,  of  the 
conscience,  of  law,  of  duty, — all  these  there  may  be, 
but  the  teaching  of  dogmatic  religion  is  an  impossi- 
bility in  the  unhappy  divisions  of  our  Christian 
bodies;  and  the  theory  of  teaching  an  undogmatic 
religion  is  as  self-contradictory  as  the  imagining  of 
an  invertebrate  mammal,  of  a  man  without  a  back- 
bone. And  while  in  abstract  sentiment,  I  should  be 
thankful  if  every  child  of  ours  were  trained  in  a 
parochial  school,  and  then  went  on  through  a 
Church  school  and  a  Church  college,  I  recognise  the 


36      THE  EDUCATIONAL   IVORK  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

practical  impossibility  and  the  possible  disadvantage. 
Inadequacy  The  impossibility,  because  no  one  com- 
of  parochial     niunion,  much  less  all  the  relie^ious  bodies, 

schools  and  _  . 

colleges.  could  by  any  possibility  compete  with  the 
State  in  the  attempt  to  make  a  large  number  of 
denominational  schools,  as  thorough  and  complete  as 
the  tax-supported  schools  are.  And  a  possible  dis- 
advantage exists,  because  in  order  to  make  a  homo- 
geneous community  it  is  better  that  all  sorts  and 
conditions  of  children  should  be  thrown  together  in 
school  and  college  life.  The  divisions  of  Christendom 
are  bad  enough  in  the  inevitable  separations  of  public 
worship.  To  perpetuate  them  in  general  education, 
and  to  inject  them  into  our  institutions  of  charity, 
would  be  disastrous  to  the  fellowship  of  men  in  the 
duties  of  their  common  citizenship.  Where  they  may 
be  had,  by  all  means  let  us  have  our  Church  schools 
and  our  Church  colleges,  where  the  Church  can 
demonstrate  its  capacity  for  training  the  three-fold 
nature  of  a  child ;  with  the  best  athletic  advantages, 
with  the  highest  intellectual  cultivation,  with  the 
most  positive  spiritual  training  and  development  of 
the  soul.  And  let  us  thank  God  for  St.  Paul's,  and 
Groton,  and  St.  Marks;  for  St.  Mary's,  and  St. 
Agnes,  and  St.  Margaret's;  for  Trinity,  Hobart,  and 
St.  Stephen's;  Sewanee  and  the  rest;  and  may  they 
be  multiplied  and  prospered! 

What  I  should  be  most  glad  of  would  be  the 
carrying  out  of  what  has  been  in  the  conception  of 
one  at  least,  I  know,  of  our  great  university  presi- 
dents, namely,  the  founding  of  a  Church  hall,  with 
its  dormitories,  its  commons,  its  chapel,  as  one  of  the 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  IVORK  OF  THE  CHURCH.     37 

grouped  colleges  in  every  great  university  of  the  land. 
First,  that  the  small  college  might  have  Every  large 
the  benefit  of  the  advantages   of  the   big  i^iversity 

1  1,  ,         ...  should  have 

university;  and  secondly,  and  still  more,  a  Church 
that  the  Church's  system  of  teaching  might  ^^^^■ 
show  its  power,  side  by  side  with  any  other  system  in 
the  world.  Because  it  is  to  be  insisted  on  that  the 
Church  has  a  system  of  education  in  the  largest 
sense  of  the  word.  She  will  teach  astronomy  upon 
the  principle  that  "the  heavens  declare 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  church 
sheweth  His  handy  work. ' '  She  will  teach  ^°^^^  *®^*=^' 
the  languages,  with  a  view  to  bringing  out  of  the 
old  classics  those  dim  dreams  which  outlined  the 
completed  truth  of  Revelation,  when  the  glorious 
Greek  language  had  found  its  final  purpose  in  lend- 
ing its  splendid  seed-power  of  suggested  meaning  to 
the  (TTtep/uoXoyo^,  the  babbler,  the  seed-scatterer, 
the  impersonation  and  representative  of  the  one 
Sower  who  went  out  to  sow.  Or  she  will  gather 
out  of  them,  as  St.  Paul  did  from  Aratus,  the  forgot- 
ten truth  of  God's  all-fatherhood;  and  the  distortion, 
in  the  devious  twist  of  traditions,  of  the  truths  found 
in  their  due  place  and  relation,  only  in  the  primeval 
revelation  ofGodtoman.  The  Heracles  of  Balau- 
stion's  Adventure  will  be  a  prophecy  of  the  only 
victor  over  death: 

"  To  herald  all  that  human  and  divine, 
r  the  weary  happy  son  of  him,  half  god, 
Half  man,  which  made  the  god-part,  god  the  more." 

The    Sibylline    oracles    in    her   translation    will    be 
broken  echoes  of  the  Hebrew  prophets.      She  will 


38      THE  EDUCATIONAL    IVORK  OF   THE  CHURCH. 

point  out  in  her  ethical  system  the  patient  progress 
of  the  divine  presentation  of  moraUty,  which  recog- 
nised the  necessity  of  adaptation  and  slow  growth  and 
gradual  uplifting,  until  it  rose  from  the  enactments 
and  prohibitions  of  Mount  Sinai,  to  the  sublime 
height  of  motive  and  character  in  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.  She  will  teach  history,  in  order  that  it  may 
unfold  the  equally  patient  providence  of  God  in  His 
dealing  with  the  children  of  men,  revealing  little  by 
little  the  divine  purposes  in  the  development  of  the 
human  race.  Her  geographical  maps  will  contain, 
not  the  camps  of  armies  only,  or  the  ports  of  com- 
merce, or  the  centres  of  accumulated  wealth,  but  the 
pathways  of  the  Pilgrims,  the  tracks  of  the  Crusaders, 
the  lighthouses  of  learning  in  ages  of  surrounding 
darkness,  and  the  way  of  the  ships  through  the 
waves,  which  carried  round  the  world  preachers  of 
the  everlasting  Gospel.  And  her  literature  will  not 
content  itself  in  the  study  of  what  the  French  people 
call  '*  beautiful  letters,"  with  the  Uteres  JiumanioreSy 
but  will  lead  men  on  and  up  to  the  literce  divinioreSy 
the  unequalled  and  unrivalled  dignity  and  glory  of 
the  English  Bible  and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
And  what  else,  what  more,  in  the  existing  condi- 
tion of  things  is  the  practical  possibility  of  educational 
work,  which  this  Church  can  do  and  should  do  in  the 
^.,  world  }     I  have  tried  to  emphasize  my  own 

sponsibiiity  conviction  that  the  Church's  commission 
^  ^  ^*^  '  and  the  Church's  duty  include,  by  the 
Divine  Intention,  education  in  the  largest  and  com- 
pletest  sense  of  the  word ;  that,  as  in  the  past,  so  now 
and  for  all  time,  she  ought  to  influence  and  impress 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  IVORK  OF   THE  CHURCH.      39 

the  literature  and  the  learning  of  the  world,  colouring 
it,  consecrating  it,  controlling  it  for  the  service  of 
God.  I  feel  free  therefore  to  deal  with  two  matters 
as  to  the  distinct  and  definite  trust  which  is  her 
highest  honour  and  her  greatest  responsibility, 
namely,  the  positive  and  perpetual  assertion  of  "  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,"  of  "the  faith  once  for  all 
delivered  to  the  saints.  "  And  her  natural  and  usual 
machinery  to  this  end  is  of  course  in  catechetical 
teaching  and  in  preaching. 

For  the  first,  there  is  the  existing  machinery  of  the 
Sunday-school,  which  is  on  the  one  hand,  I  think, 
unduly  exalted,  and  on  the  other  unwisely  The  Sunday- 
decried.  It  is  of  course  a  modern  make-  ^<^^°°^' 
shift  devised  to  deal  with  great  masses  of  children 
otherwise  uncared  for  and  unprovided  with  any 
religious  training  in  homes  or  in  churches.  It  can 
never  be  the  substitute  for  either  parental  or  pastoral 
responsibility.  But  as  a  recognised  and  wide-spread 
machinery,  it  cannot  be  ignored  and  it  ought  to  be 
improved.  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  I  think  it  is  suffer- 
ing to-day  from  the  same  evil  influences  which  so 
largely  infect  and  infest  the  public  ministry  of  the 
word ;  namely,  the  sensational  recourse  to  all  manner 
of  strange  devices  to  attract  and  entertain  and  amuse. 
The  childhood  of  a  Christian  child  in  the  Church  is 
divided  into  two  parts,  separated  from  each  other  by 
the  act  of  confirmation.  And  the  Church  has  pro- 
vided for  the  first  of  these  periods  a  Manual  of 
Training,  incomparable  in  clearness,  comprehensive- 
ness, logical  sequence,  and  theological  sufficiency,  in 
the   Catechism.      We   have   a  superabundant  set   of 


40      THE  EDUCATlO}JAL    IVORK  OF   THE   CHURCH. 

manuals  upon  this  Manual,  which  have  I  am  afraid 
overlaid,  in  some  degree,  what  Mr.  Keble  called  its 
*' heavenly  notes. "  To  learn  it,  until  its  wise  and 
Th  r  well-weighed  words  enter  into  and  make 

chismin  part  of  a  child's  thought  about  religion,  is 
t  e  urc  .  ^j^^  ^^g^  thing  to  be  done ;  and  then  to  keep 
it  fresh  in  memory,  by  its  frequent  repetition;  and 
then  to  gather  about  its  various  statements  the  scrip- 
tural proofs  of  its  every  separate  phrase ;  and  then 
to  illustrate  it  by  the  parallel  passages,  which  abound 
in  the  Collects  and  various  Offices  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer;  and  then  to  develop  them  and 
apply  them  as  they  reach  out  and  touch  the  faith, 
the  obedience,  the  worship,  the  means  of  grace,  the 
life.  Next  in  importance,  in  value,  in  power  of  in- 
fluence to  the  creeds,  the  Catechism  ought  to  be  the 
framework,  about  which  all  other  instruction  shall 
build  the  beauty  and  the  fulness  of  the  system  of  the 
Church. 

In  order  to  do  this  the  first  essential  is  the  training 
of  the  teacher.  They  cannot  teach  what  they  do  not 
Teachers'  know.  And  that  training  depends  largely 
the^Eeftor's  "P^^^  ^^e  Rector's  realization  of  his  own 
personal  duty,  responsibility.  Really  and  truly,  the  Sun- 
day-school teacher  is  only  the  alius  or  the  alia 
through  whom  he  does  his  duty.  And  no  Sunday- 
school  is  complete,  or  is  in  the  way  of  large  accom- 
plishment, that  is  not  preceded  and  prepared  for  by 
the  Rector's  class  for  his  teachers.  And  for  the 
period  after  Confirmation,  there  ought  to  be  classes 
or  some  other  provision  for  the  constant  study  of  the 
Word  of  God.      Slowly  and  without  the  recognition 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  IVORK  OF   THE   CHURCH.      41 

which   it  richly  deserves,  the  Society  for  the  Home 
Study  of  Holy  Scripture  and  Church  History  The  teacher's 
is  leavening  the  Church.      If  every  woman,  preparation. 
who  teaches  in  a  Sunday-school,  were  a  member  of 
this  Society,  the  result  would  be  felt  in  energy,  in 
interest,   in  what  the   Prayer-book  calls  "the   live- 
liness of  the  Word, ' '  and  in  effect.      Bible  study  with 
all  its  side-lights,  yes,  and  with  all  its  foot-lights,  of 
technical  and  textual  criticism,  Bible  study,  critical 
and  devotional,  is  the  great  desideratum  of  our  day. 
And  this  Church,  which  saturates  her  children  with 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  knows  no  public 
service  without   the   foremost  place   given 
to  the  reading  and  hearing  of  the  Word,  which  dares 
and  is  determined  to  put  the  whole  Word  of  God,  in 
the  language  which  they  understand,  openly,  freely, 
continually,   before  her  people;  this  Church  in  her 
relation  to  education   must  foster   the  study  of  the 
Bible  in  every  possible  way. 

The  next  place  of  educational  value  and  power  is 
the   Christian   pulpit.      Diverted   and   degraded  and 
for  a  time  almost  displaced  from  its  high 
dignity,   as  the   place  of  the  prophet,  we   The  place  of 

1    .  '  r  1  XI.,  ^^^  pulpit. 

need  to  recognise  far  more  than  I  thmk  we 
do  its  due  position  in  the  Church's  work  of  educa- 
tion. I  know  all  that  can  be  said  and  is  said  about 
sermons.  I  remember  the  phase  (passing  somewhat 
now)  when  it  was  thought  necessary  to  belittle  the 
pulpit  in  order  to  magnify  the  Altar,  when  people 
sneered  at  what  they  were  pleased  to  call  the 
**  sacrament  of  preaching. ' '  Carried  along  with  the 
debris  of  that  great  current  of  spiritual  life,  known 


42       THE  EDUCATIONAL    WORK  OF   THE   CHURCH. 

as  the  Oxford  movement,  and  thrown  up  Hke  rubbish 
on  shallow  places  where  it  stuck,  as  though  it  were 
the  only  outcome  and  purpose  of  that  rushing  and 
swelling  tide,  this  idea  never  w^as  in  the  minds  or 
hearts  or  examples  of  the  men  who  were  behind  the 
movement.  Their  very  first  power  was  their  preach- 
ing. The  massive  weight  of  Pusey's  learning;  the 
crystal  purity  of  Keble's  poetry  and  prose;  the  in- 
comparable beauty  of  Newman's  sentences;  the  ring 
of  Manning's  earlier  English, — these  were  the  forces 
of  the  prophets,  "  clamantes  in  deserto. "  That 
their  influence  led  to  more  reverent  worship,  higher 
appreciation  of  sacramental  grace,  more  regard  for 
disused  and  forgotten  customs  and  traditions  of 
primitive  ages,  is  perfectly  true.  But  they  never 
Proper  taught  and  never  meant  to  teach,  and  it  is 

preaching.  ^  corrupt  following  of  their  great  leader  to 
hold  that  one  can  only  dignify  the  sacramental,  by 
depreciating  the  homiletical,  element  in  the  Christian 
ministry.  Those  two  queer  object-lessons  of  the 
old-fashioned  arrangement  (modern  old-fashioned,  I 
mean),  by  which  either  the  pulpit  got  behind  the 
Altar  in  the  place  of  chief  honour  and  conspicuous- 
ness,  or  got  right  in  front  of  the  Altar  to  obscure,  if 
not  to  conceal  it,  had,  I  have  no  doubt,  their  inten- 
tional significance.  But  it  is  high  time  for  men, 
charged  with  the  ministry  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  rise  to  a 
clear  vision  of  the  duty  and  the  dignity  of  preaching. 
Not  the  least  power  of  the  Altar  is  its  pi'-oclamatio7i; 
as  the  Master  made  the  cross  not  merely  the  one 
only  Altar  of  a  true  and  perfect  sacrifice,  but  also  the 
pulpit   of  the   seven    sentences   and    of  the   seven 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  IVORK  OF  THE  CHURCH.      43 

silences,  which  have  filled  the  wide  world  and  drawn 
all  men  unto  Him.  There  are  very,  very  few,  (here 
and  there  one,)  with  special  power  as  preachers. 
What  is  commonly  known  as  the  popular  preacher 
is  too  often  a  very  poor  caricature  of  the  prophet. 
There  is  hardly  a  more  pitiful  or  painful  clement  in 
our  modern  religionism  than  the  column  in  the 
Saturday  newspaper  which  gives  the  subjects  of  the 
so-called  sermons  for  the  next  day.  But  the  ques- 
tion is  not  of  personal  power  or  of  personal  popu- 
larity, much  less  of  sensationalism  and  excitement. 
It  is  simply  one  of  directness,  earnestness,  care- 
fulness, thoroughness,  plainness,  completeness,  in 
bringing  home  to  men's  hearts  the  message  of  God. 
Not  latitudes  nor  platitudes;  neither  altitudes  nor 
attitudes;  but  the  preaching,  which  dear  Archbishop 
Benson  said  was  neither  high  nor  low  nor  broad,  but 
deep.  In  all  time,  God  has  been  pleased  to  take 
and  use  and  consecrate  the  wonderful  gift  of  articulate 
speech,  and  the  marvellous  organs  of  the  human 
voice,  to  be  the  medium  through  which  He  should 
communicate  with  man.  The  old  * '  segnius  imitant ' ' 
does  not  apply  to  this.  Nothing  will  take  its  place; 
and  the  talk  about  the  Sunday  newspaper  or  the 
magazine  as  satisfying  this  need  is  idle  and  untrue. 
It  is  an  excuse  which  would,  I  believe,  be  done 
away  with  if  (and  which  is  now  contradicted  where  }) 
men  throw  themselves  into  the  simple,  straight- 
forward, earnest  delivery  of  their  message  to  their 
brother  men. 

It  is  not  eloquence  that  is  needed,  it  is  teaching, 
definite,  distinct,  positive,  plain,  insistent,  about  the 


44      THE  EDUCATIONAL    IVORK  OF   THE  CHURCH. 

two  inseparable  things, — the  Faith  and  the  Life;  the 
Noteio-         ^if"^  of  faith,  and  the  faith  in  the  life.      Let 

quencebut     ^s  mag-nifv  our  prophetic  office.     Not  pass- 
teaching  of     .  . 
Faith  and      mg    events,    not  popular    excitement,    not 

Life.  personal   views;    and    on  the  other  hand, 

not  remotearchaisms  and  unhuman  speculations  ;  but 
the  old  truth  in  the  new  words,  translated,  that  is 
to  say,  into  the  language  of  common  speech. 

They  showed  me  the  other  day,  at  the  Oxford 
University  Press,  what  they  call  the  ''knapsack 
Bible,"  made  exactly  to  fit  into  its  place;  and 
bound  in  the  same  stuff  of  which  is  made  the  uni- 
forms of  the  British  soldiers  in  South  Africa.  That 
The  Old  is  the  thought.  The  Old  Word  of  God, 
modern^  taught  in  phrases  that  fit  the  mental  opera- 
phrases,  tions  of  the  time ;  and  presented  in  a  form 
that  adapts  itself  to  the  habits  and  needs  of  the 
leaders  and  fighters  and  sufferers  and  conquerors  of 
the  world.  It  is  the  marvellous  advance  of  chemical 
science,  which  has  revolutionized  the  treatment  of 
physical  disease;  more  even  than  the  discoveries  of 
materia  medica:  new  media,  new  solvents,  new  com- 
binations of  the  old  healing  herbs  and  roots  and  min- 
erals, found  everywhere  side  by  side  with  the  diseases 
they  are  meant  to  cure.  For  us,  the  mysteries  of 
truth  and  grace,  which  the  great  Healer  once  for  all 
has  made  known  to  us,  can  have  no  additions.  It 
rests  with  us  to  find  in  the  knowledge  of  ourselves,  in 
the  study  of  mankind,  in  careful  keeping  ourselves  in 
touch  with  the  subtle  vanities  of  old  deceits,  and  old 
diseases  of  the  soul,  as  they  take  new  form  and 
colour,  in  the  changing  circumstances  and  conditions 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  IVORK  OF   THE   CHURCH.      45 

of  the  world ;  it  is  for  us,  God  guiding  and  helping 
us  to  deep  insight  and  wide  outlook,  to  find  the  ways 
and  words,  through  which  we  may  be  such  evangelists 
and  physicians,  that  '*by  the  wholesome  medicines 
of  the  doctrine  that  we  deliver,  all  the  diseases  of 
men's  souls  may  be  healed."  And  the  healing  will 
be,  as  the  St.  Luke's  Day  Collect  asks  for  the  prev- 
alence of  the  prayer,  * '  through  the  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ,  our  Lord. '  * 


III. 


THE  PRESENT  STATUS  OF  RELIGIOUS 

INSTRUCTION   IN   ENGLAND, 

FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND 

THE  UNITED  STATES. 

By  Professor  Charles  De  Garmo,  Ph.D.,  of  Cornell 

University. 


SYNOPSIS   OF   LECTURE  III. 

Religious  Instruction  in  England. 

Origin  of  Religious  Instruction  in  the  schools,  through  Lancas- 
ter and  Dr.  Bell. 

Lancaster's  simple  scheme  of  paid  teachers,  with  multiplying 
scholars. 

Its  failure. 

Government  Grants  the  next  step. 

Organization  of  Board-schools  the  final  one.  Similar  to 
American  schools. 

Religious  Instruction  made  optional  in  the  Day-schools. 

Rise  of  Sunday-schools,  under  Robert  Raikes,  1780. 

Thus  two  systems  in  England. 

Religious  Instruction  in  PVance. 

None  in  the  Public  Schools.  Thursday  holiday  for  Church 
and  home  instruction. 

Religious  Instruction  in  Germany. 

Day-schools  impart  practically  all. 
Most  thorough  system  in  the  world. 
Critical  spirit  in  universities. 
Kirchner's  view. 

Religious  Instruction  in  the  United  States. 

Threefold  end  of  all  Religious  Instruction. 
Inadequacy  of  America  in  point  of  Christian  Knowledge. 
Compares  favourably  in  points  of  Christian  Spirit  and  Chris- 
tian Conduct. 

Improvements  suggested  in  American  Schools. 

Arrangement  of  Material   for   Childhood,   Adolescence,    and 

Youth. 
Crucial  Period  of  Adolescence. 
Wrong  Treatment  after  this  period. 
"Religious  exercises  "  in  England  and  America. 
Great  need  for  wiser  action. 
Man's  Relation  to  his  fellows. 
Need  for  Improvement  of  the  Sunday-schools. 


RELIGIOUS    INSTRUCTION    IN    ENGLAND, 
FRANCE,    GERMANY,    AND    AMERICA. 

Of  the  four  countries,    embraced  in   our  survey, 
two,  namely,  France  and  the  United  States,    England 
have  only  private  or  denominational  instruc-  ^^^i  ^  ^^1 
tion.   England  has  a  double  system,  having  tem. 
a  Sunday-school  organization  scarcely  inferior  to  our 
own  and  a  system  of  religious  instruction  in  Day- 
schools  reaching  nearly  all  of  the  children 
of  the  empire.       Germany  relies  pre-emi-     ®™^^y' 
nently  upon  the  official  instruction  in  religion  given 
in  her  Day-schools,  supplementing  this  by  an  amount 
of  Sunday-school  instruction  which  reaches  less  than 
a  tenth  of  her  children. 

Whenever  we  think  of  a  possible  system  of  religious 
instruction  in  our  Day-schools,  an  end  most  ardently 
desired  by  all  who  believe  that  the  young  origin  of  re- 
should  be  thoroughly  trained  in   religious  %iousin- 

.  .  -,  struction  in 

knowledge,  we  look  mstinctively  to  Eng-  English 
land,  as  an  example  of  what  can  be  accom-  ^^^°°^^' 
plished  in  a  free  Protestant  nation,  where  the  people 
are  determined  to  regard  this  as  an  essential  of  any 
acceptable  school  system.  A  brief  survey  of  the 
educational  history  of  England  for  the  last  hundred 
years  will  show  the  genesis  of  her  school  system. 

49 


5o  RELIGIOUS  MSTRUCTION  IM 

When  the  nineteenth  century  opened,  education 
in  England  was  a  prerogative  of  the  aristocratic  and 
well-to-do.  The  masses  of  the  people  were  in  dense 
ignorance  of  everything  that  their  personal  experi- 
ence failed  to  teach  them.  There  was  no  system  of 
public  schools  and  but  a  meagre  and  unsatisfactory 
provision  of  any  kind  for  the  masses.  It  was,  how- 
ever, a  period  of  activity  in  religion,  so  that  in 
England  as  in  Germany,  at  the  time  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, the  leaders  in  religious  life  began  to  feel  very 
keenly  that  it  was  the  paramount  duty  of  every  lover 
of  his  kind  to  see  that  all  the  children  were  trained 
in  the  elements  of  religious  knowledge.  At  this 
time,  England,  if  not  poor,  was  at  least  penurious 
with  respect  to  education.  Democracy  was  only 
beginning  to  feel  the  impulse  of  a  new  life,  and  the 
idea  had  not  dawned  upon  statesmen  that  the  people 
as  a  whole  had  any  responsibility  for  the  care  of  in- 
dividual children. 

In  answer  to  this  awakening  consciousness  of 
religious  need  among  the  people,  there  came  forward 
two  men,  Joseph  Lancaster  and  Andrew  Bell.  The 
Lancaster  labours  of  Lancaster  began  first,  and  cul- 
andBeii.  minated  in  the  organization  of  the  famous 
British  and  Foreign  School  Society,  which  represented 
in  general  the  dissenting  elements  of  English  religious 
life.  From  the  activity  of  Dr.  Bell,  beginning  at  a 
somewhat  later  date,  arose  the  much  greater  National 
Society,  which  represented  the  interests  of  the  Church 
of  England.  There  began  at  this  time  an  exceed- 
ingly active  rivalry  between  these  two  societies  for 
the  control  of  elementary  education. 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND   AMERICA.      51 

It  is  an  interesting  circumstance  that  both  of  these 
systems  proposed  to  estabHsh  the  social  and  rehgious 
regeneration  of  the  nation  at  a  very  nominal  cost. 
Lancaster  brouf^ht  with  him  from  India  an   ,        .   . 

°  Lancaster's 

idea  which  enabled  him  at  once  to  com-  scheme. 
mand  the  warmest  admiration  of  every  philanthropist 
in  England,  since  he  proposed  a  system  which  would 
give  intellectual  life  just  as  spiritual  life  is  supposed 
to  be  given, — without  money  and  without  price. 
His  scheme  of  education  is  to  be  paralleled  in  the 
mechanical  w^orld  only  by  the  schemes  for  perpetual 
motion  which  attack  ambitious  but  untrained  minds. 
His  plan  was  an  exceedingly  simple  one.  He  pro- 
posed himself  to  take  a  class  of  ten  boys  and  instruct 
and  drill  them  in  a  limited  field  of  knowledge  with 
great  thoroughness ;  then  to  have  each  of  these  ten 
boys  gather  another  class  of  ten  boys,  and  teach 
them  what  he  himself  had  been  taught.  Similarly, 
each  of  these  hundred  boys  would  gather  a  class  of 
ten  other  boys  about  him  and  instruct  them  in  the 
knowledge  which  he  himself  had  gained.  Thus,  at 
one  stroke,  a  single  teacher  would  be  able  to  teach 
a  thousand  boys.  Nothing  could  be  more  alluring 
from  a  financial  standpoint  to  a  people  not  yet 
awakened  to  the  duty  of  society  for  educating  its 
young. 

Rival  religious  bodies  seized  upon  the  idea  with 
great  avidity  and  established  schools  everywhere. 
It  would  be  a  poor  community  that  could  not  furnish 
one  good  teacher  for  a  thousand  children.  But  since 
the  leading  motive  of  the  organization  and  main- 
tenance of  this  school  was  the  religious  one,  it  followed 


52  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN 

as  a  matter  of  course  that  training  in  the  catechisms, 
jjq^j^  creeds,    and    formulas    of    the     respective 

succeeded.  churches  formed  the  centre  of  the  instruc- 
tion. After  the  schools  had  been  thus  conducted  for 
the  first  quarter  of  the  century,  it  was  found  that  the 
best  efforts  of  a  community  were  unable  to  meet  the 
growing  necessities  of  the  schools  for  more  and  better 
teachers,  and  for  the  equipments  necessary  for  carry- 
ing on  the  great  system  of  public  education.  It  was 
found  that  there  were  large  areas  of  country  in  which 
no  provision  whatever  was  made  for  the  education  of 
the  poor. 

Appeal  was  made  to  Parliament  in  1833  for  assist- 
ance, and,  after  much  debate.  Parliament  responded 
by  its  first  grant  of  a  hundred  thousand  dollars  to 
Government  these  so-called  voluntary  schools.  Most 
grants,  q(  them    were   under   the   control    of  the 

National  Society,   which  represented  the  Church  of 
England.      From   1833  onward  to  the  present,  gov- 
ernment grants  increased  in  amount  and  regularity, 
until   they  have  now   arrived   at  enormous  propor- 
tions. 

The  schools  under  ecclesiastical  control  continued 
to  be  the  sole  means  for  public  education  down  to 
1870.  At  this  time,  parliamentary  investi- 
thesY^stem.  g3.tion  showed  that  there  were  large  gaps 
in  the  system,  which  it  was  quite  impossible 
for  the  private  schools  to  fill.  They  therefore  estab- 
lished a  system  of  public  education  under  the  title  of 
Board  schools.  School  districts  were  laid  out,  school 
boards  elected,  local  taxes  levied,  and  a  system  of 
education,   not    unlike    our    American    free    public 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND  AMERICA.      53 

schools,  was   inaugurated.      All  of  these  schools  at 
first,  however,  chare^ed  tuition  fees,  as  the   ^  .  .    , 

*^  Origin  of 

Church  schools  have  always  done.  But  the  Board- 
sentiment  for  free  public  education  has  so  ^°^°°^^' 
developed,  that,  in  London  and  Birmingham  and 
many  other  places,  the  Board  schools  are  now  abso- 
lutely free,  as  they  are  in  this  country.  The  Board 
schools  have  naturally  grown  in  popularity  and  ex- 
tent, until,  from  the  beginning  in  1870,  they  have 
increased  their  attendance  so  that  now  42,^  of  all 
the  children  attend  these  schools ;  44^^  attend  the 
schools  of  the  Church  of  England  under  the  control 
of  the  National  Society;  3^  attend  the  Wesleyan 
schools;  5^  the  Roman  Catholic;  and  nearly  Gfo 
attend  British  undenominational  and  other  schools. 

When  the  Board  schools  were  established,  the 
question  of  religious  instruction  naturally  arose. 
After  extended  discussion,  it  was  finally  concluded 
that  religious  instruction  must  be  given,  but  that  it 
could  not  be  denominational.  Therefore,  the  Board 
schools  are  not  allowed  to  teach  catechisms  or  creeds 
or  church  formulas,  or  to  institute  distinctive  ecclesi- 
astical ceremonies. 

There  naturally  arose  very  early,  in  connection 
with  government  grants  to  private  Church  schools, 
the  question  of  religious  toleration  in  connection  with 
the  instruction  of  religious  subjects.  It  was  very 
soon  seen  to  be  absolutely  necessary  that  people,  who 
were  so  situated  that  they  could  attend  only  Church 
schools,  should  be  protected  in  their  religious  rights 
wherever  the  belief  of  the  parents  differed  from  that 
of  the  institution  to  which  they  sent  their  children. 


54  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN 

It  never  would  do,  Englishmen  thought,  to  allow  a 
T,  ,.  .  p^reat  church  corporation    like  the  National 

Eeligious         ^  ^ 

instruction  Society  to  spread  its  religious  propaganda 
op  lona .  among  the  people  at  the  expense  of  the 
government.  It  was  therefore  very  quickly  provided, 
in  the  so-called  "conscience  clause,"  that  the 
religious  instruction  of  the  school  should  not  be 
forced  upon  the  children  of  unwilling  parents,  and  it 
was  finally  arranged  that  such  religious  instruction 
must  be  given  either  at  the  beginning  or  the  close  of 
the  school  day,  so  that  pupils  might  absent  them- 
selves from  these  exercises  without  losing  any  of  the 
advantages  of  the  school.  In  this  way  there  was 
established  a  system  of  religious  instruction,  denomi- 
national in  the  Church  schools  and  undenominational 
in  the  Public  Board  schools,  which  could  reach 
almost  every  child  in  the  land. 

A  second  corollary  of  public  grants  to  private  in- 
stitutions was  that  every  school,  which  availed  itself 
of  the  advantages  of  the  grants,  should  subject  itself 
to  governmental  inspection.  There  thus  grew  up 
in  England  a  system  of  school  examinations  by 
government  authorities  such  as  no  other  English- 
speaking  nation  has,  and  in  connection  with  this  the 
famous  system  of  payment  by  results.  When  it  was 
said  in  Parliament  that  these  schools  might  use  the 
government  grants  almost  solely  for  spreading  their 
religious  doctrines  and  might  neglect  all  the  great 
purposes  of  a  secular  education,  Mr.  Lowe  cut  the 
Gordian  knot  by  proposing  that  the  schools  should 
receive  grants  in  proportion  to  the  efficiency  of  their 
instruction  in  secular  branches,  and  he  carried  the 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND  AMERICA.      55 

majority  of  Englishmen  with  him  when  he  said  that 
if  these  schools  were  poor,  they  should  at  least  be 
cheap,  and  if  they  were  dear,  they  should  at  least 
be  efficient.  It  was  early  provided,  however,  that 
there  should  be  no  inspection  of  religious  training  in 
the  private  schools.  In  the  Public  Board  schools,  if 
I  mistake  not,  examinations  are  offered  in  religious 
subjects.  We  can  thus  see  how  a  great,  free, 
democratic  people  has  succeeded  in  providing 
elementary  instruction  for  every  child  in  the  land, 
and  at  the  same  time  has  provided  religious  train- 
ing for  all  who  desire  it  in  connection  with  secular 
education. 

The  outcome  of  such  a  system  is  in  startling  con- 
trast to  the  system  which  has  developed  in  our  own 
country,   whereby  religion  as  a  subject  of  contrasted- 
instruction  appears   to   be   forever  banned  withAmeri- 
from  our  public  schools.      The  constitution   ^^^^y^^™' 
of  almost  every  state  in  the  Union  forbids  the  sub- 
sidizing of  church  schools  at  public  expense,  while 
the  division  of  our  population  into  a  large  number  of 
powerful  religious  organizations   makes  it  practically 
impossible  to  obtain  public  consent  to  any  form  of 
religious  teaching. 

In  England,  as  is  well  known  to  this  assembly, 
there  began  a  system  of  religious  instruction  in 
Sunday-schools  under  the  leadership  of 
Robert  Raikes  in  1780.  These  schools  gunday-school 
have  steadily  grown  in  popularity,  exten-  system. 
sion,  and  efficiency,  until  the  number  of  students 
under  their  tuition  is  greater  than  the  number  of 
children  in  the  Day-schools  of  Great  Britain.      We 


5^  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTIOiV  IM 

thus  see  growing  up  side  by  side  a  double  system  of 
religious  instruction  in  which  the  Day-schools  may 
be  presumed  to  give  the  body  of  religious  knowledge, 
while  the  Sunday-school  would  naturally  be  relied 
upon  to  impart  the  true  religious  spirit  to  the  know- 
ledge acquired,  since,  far  more  than  the  Day-school, 
it  enjoys  the  sanctions  of  the  Church  and  the  influence 
of  the  religious  ceremonial.  Ideally,  therefore,  the 
English  system  leaves  little  to  be  desired  in  its 
opportunities  for  bringing  up  the  youth  of  the  land, 
*'in  the  fear  and  admonition  of  the  Lord." 

Turning  now  for  a  moment  to  France,  we  find 
a  country  predominantly  Roman  Catholic  in  confes- 
sion, although  both  Protestant  and  Jewish 
religions  likewise  enjoy  state  support.  It 
would  seem  that  in  a  country,  in  which  all  large 
religious  bodies  are  subsidized  by  the  state,  it  would 
be  natural  and  easy  to  have  a  regular  system  of 
religious  instruction  in  connection  with  the  Day- 
schools.  This,  however,  is  not  the  fact.  No  reli- 
gious instruction  whatever  is  given  in  connection  with 
the  secular  schools,  but  Thursday  is  set  apart  as  a 
No  religious  school  holiday,  in  which  children  may 
in^pubiir^  receive  religious  instruction  at  the  hands  of 
schools.  the  several  denominations  to  which  their 
parents  belong.  To  what  extent  the  children  are 
actually  instructed,  I  am  not  informed.  The  Sunday- 
school  naturally,  under  such  conditions,  would  not 
have  a  flourishing  growth  in  France.  We  find  that 
but  some  sixty  thousand  scholars  are  enrolled  in 
such  institutions. 

Turning  now  to  Germany,  we  find  that  practically 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND  AMERICA.      57 

all   serious  religious    instruction    is    imparted   in    the 
Day-schools,    and    predominantly   by    the 
regular  teachers  employed  for  secular  in- 
struction.   The  Sunday-school  in  that  country,  as  in 
France,   has   had   but   a   meagre   development,   less 
than  one-tenth  of  the  children  receiving  any  Religious  in- 
instruction    whatever    in    such   institutions,  struction 
T  1    •    •  ^1         r-  ..  -^    •     given  by 

In    explammg   the    Lrerman    system,    it   is  state-schools. 

important  to  remember  that  there  are  but  two  strong 
religious  organizations  in  that  country,  the  Roman 
Catholic,  chiefly  at  the  south,  and  the  Lutheran, 
chiefly  at  the  north,  both  being  under  state  support 
and  control.  In  that  country,  moreover,  practically 
all  schools  are  under  direct  governmental  control, 
and  in  very  important  particulars  have  their  policy 
directed  from  central  government  bureaus.  Thus, 
for  instance,  the  curriculum  of  study  is  in  the  main 
prescribed  by  the  ailUis  minister.  The  subject  of 
religion  always  stands  first  in  programmes  of  studies, 
both  as  they  emanate  from  the  bureau,  and  as  they 
stand  in  the  daily  school  programme.  Four  or  five 
hours  of  religious  instruction  per  week  are  required 
in  every  German  school. 

Probably  in  no  other  country  in  the  world  is  the 
religious  instruction  so  systematically  and  thoroughly 
given  as  in  Germany.      The  principal  func-   jj^g^  ^j^^. 
tion    of   the    German    school    is    officially  rough  in  the 
declared  to  be  the  making  of  God-fearing, 
patriotic,    self-supporting    citizens.       The    Germans 
would  no  more  think  that  religion  could  be  omitted 
from  the  programme  of  instruction,  than  that  mathe- 
matics or  languages  could  be  left  out.    Every  teacher 


58  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN 

in  that  country  receives  religious  training  for  his 
work,  although  not  every  teacher  gives  religious  in- 
struction in  the  schools.  This  is  usually  assigned  to 
those  who  are  best  fitted  by  temperament  and 
acquirements  to  impart  it. 

The  hour  for  religious  instruction  is  the  first  one  in 
the  morning.  The  curriculum  in  the  early  grades  is 
„,  .       .       made  up  of  Bible  stories,  mostly  bios^raphi- 

Their  system  ^  '  y  &      r 

andcurricu-  cal,  the  memorizing  of  Church  hymns,  the 
^^'  Catechism,   and  selected   Scriptural  texts. 

In  the  middle  grades,  it  is  the  aim  to  present  a  tole- 
rably complete  idea  of  the  Christian  religion,  as 
expounded  by  Luther,  some  Church  history,  and  the 
meaning  of  the  forms  and  ceremonies  of  the  Church. 
In  the  upper  grades  of  secondary  instruction,  no 
more  formal  memorizing  is  required,  but  there  are 
frequent  reviews  to  help  the  pupils  retain  what  they 
have  previously  learned.  The  general  study  of  the 
history,  antiquities,  and  literature  of  Holy  Writ  and 
the  history  of  the  Christian  Church  is  introduced. 
Special  attention  is  given  in  all  classes  to  broad 
reading,  research,  and  exegesis,  not  of  passages  alone, 
but  of  complete  parts  and  books.  When  the  Bible 
is  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  children,  it  is  always 
an  expurgated  edition.  A  favourite  method,  however, 
is  instruction  by  means  of  text-books  covering  selec- 
tions from  the  Bible  commentary,  geography  and 
history  of  the  Holy  Land,  history  of  the  Jews,  sum- 
mary of  the  New  Testament  teachings,  Luther's 
small  Catechism,  the  Church  Calendar  and  the 
Church  hymns. 

Of  the  effect  of  this  instruction  upon  the  whole 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,   AND   AMERICA.      59 

people,  there  are  many  views.      Prof.  Russell,  in  his 
book  on  German  Hi^^her  Education,  calls   „,.    , 

°  .  Cntical 

attention  to  the  fact  that,  since  the  rise   of  spirit  in 
modern  biological  science,  the  critical  spirit  '^^^^^^'^^i^^^s- 
has  entered   the  schools  of  theology.      Young  men 
have    been  leaving    the  universities   for   years  with 
these  ideas  in  their  minds,  and  the  definite  amount 
of  religious  knowledge,  which  was  once  supposed  to 
be    essential  to    every    man's    education,   has    been 
steadily   growing    less.       Not    a    third    as    much    is 
required  to-day  as  was  insisted  on  thirty  years  ago. 
The    teachers    are   not   so   well    grounded    in    their 
beliefs,  while  the  feeling  of  uncertainty  in  the  teacher 
begets  uncertain  results  in  the  classroom.       Pupils 
consequently  take  less  interest  in  the  subject ;   many 
of  them  say  openly  that  the  teacher  is  obliged  to 
teach  them  what  he  himself  does  not  believe.      Prof. 
Russell   also  makes   the  following  citation  from  the 
Kreuzzeitiing  of  November  25,  1894:    *' As  matters 
stand  at  present,  we  have  a  double-entry  system  of 
spiritual  bookkeeping.       For  the  masses,  so  far  as 
they  attend  the  elementary  schools,  and  theoretically 
for   pupils   of  secondary   schools   as   well,   we   have 
instruction  in  religion  on  the  lines  of  positive  Chris- 
tianity, in  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  the  state. 
In  the  universities,  on  the  contrary,  where  the  young 
men  are  being  educated  who  will  in  time  succeed  to 
the     leadership    in    Church     and    state,    something 
entirely    different    is    put    forward   in    the    name    of 
science.      Doctrines    are    preached   which    stand    in 
sharpest  contradiction  to  those  given  to  the  people. 
This  is  excused  on  the  ground  that  religion  is  for  the 


6o  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN 

people,  and  for  them  it  is  good  enough  as  it  is. 
Science,  however,  occupies  another  field  and  seeks 
a  different  patronage.  The  two  do  not  come  in 
contact." 

The  clergy  are  also  dissatisfied  with  the  results, 
which  they  would  better  by  giving  more  time  to 
"What  reform  religion.  This,  however,  is  opposed  by 
IS  possible.  |.]^g  school  men,  who  say  that  it  is  not  more 
religion,  but  a  better  quality  that  is  needed.  They 
say  that  some  text-books  give  as  many  as  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  different  scriptural  texts  to  be  learned 
by  heart.  It  is  no  wonder  that  *'  the  letter  kills  the 
spirit. ' '  The  school  men  also  complain  that  their 
scholars  know  the  history  of  the  Jews  better  than  the 
history  of  the  Germans.  The  remedy,  they  say,  is 
not  more  formal  study,  for  pupils  might  spend  all 
their  time  on  religion,  memorizing  the  entire  Bible, 
yet  come  out  irreligious.  Better  no  Catechism  at  all 
than  so  many  tears  in  learning  it. ' ' 

Prof.    Russell   also    cites    the     opinion    of    Prof 

Kirchner  of  Berlin,  who  speaks  for  the  majority  of  his 

colleagues  when  he  says :    "If  the  religious  feeling 

is  not  revered,  awakened,  and  fostered  in  the  home, 

the  school  can  do  very  little.      As  a  rule, 

,'    .^°. '    the  yearnins:  toward  God  in  a  child's  soul 

ner  s  opinioiii  -^  •=> 

is  very  slight.  A  surfeit  of  religious  doc- 
trines, maxims,  hymns,  forms,  ceremonies,  prayers, 
as  experience  proves,  often  produces  a  result  pre- 
cisely opposite  to  the  one  intended.  Not  the  school, 
but  the  Church  has  the  largest  share  in  fostering  the 
increase  of  piety.  Least  of  all  should  the  school  be 
pressed  into   the   service   of  a  rigid   orthodoxy;    it 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND  AMERICA.      6i 

should  not  forget  that  the  educational  point  of  view 
must  be  its  standard.  Lessons  in  religion  ought  not 
to  be  hours  dedicated  to  devotion,  but  to  instruction 
given  in  a  grave,  cheerful  manner.  The  school  must 
be  content  to  establish  in  its  pupils  genuine  religious 
feeling  and  sound  morality.  The  means  of  doing  so 
is  on  the  one  hand  instruction,  and  on  the  other  the 
teacher's  example.  Hypercritical  sanctimoniousness, 
external  attendance  to  Church  forms,  nay,  even 
polemics  against  those  who  hold  a  different  faith, 
leave  no  good  result.  In  the  choice  and  treatment 
of  subjects,  the  standard  must  be  genuine  religious 
stimulation  rather  than  dead  knowledge,  scholastic 
erudition,  or  barren  forms." 

The  ministry  have  now  accepted  this  idea,  for  the 
new  curricula  now  lay  especial  stress  upon  the  subject 
of  instruction.  *' The  religious  instruction  is  to  be 
so  imparted  that  emphasis  shall  be  laid  upon  the 
living  acceptation  and  the  inward  appropriation  of 
the  facts  of  salvation  and  the  Christian  duties,  and 
especial  attention  be  given  to  the  apologetic  and 
ethical  side.  Along  with  considerable  diminution  in 
the  amount  taught,  especially  by  cutting  out  the  his- 
tory of  the  Church  and  dogma  leading  to  the  ^^^  German 
taking  sides  in  religious  controversies,  the  curricula. 
instruction,  so  far  as  it  is  based  on  history,  is  to  be 
limited  to  the  occurrences  of  enduring  significance  for 
the  ecclesiastical  and  religious  life."  Prof.  Russell 
concludes  his  account  by  saying:  '*  I  rarely  found  a 
schoolboy  whose  judgment  I  considered  of  value  in 
other  matters,  who  was  not  deeply  impressed  with 
the  worth  of  his  religious  training.      There  is  much 


62  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN 

doubt,  much  senseless  criticism  abroad  in  the  land, 
but  its  sources  are  not  to  be  sought  in  the  schools. 
On  the  contrary,  the  religion  of  Protestant  Germany, 
as  it  is  presented  in  the  schools,  is  one  of  the  most 
powerful  forces  for  the  making  of  unity  in  German 
life." 

We  have  now  before  us  in  briefest  outline  an 
account  of  the  religious  instruction  of  the  three 
The  United  foreign  Countries  assigned  for  consideration. 
States.  These  facts  will  form  a  basis  for  an  exami- 

nation of  our  own  religious  instruction  of  the  young 
as  compared  with  that  of  other  countries. 

The  leading  purposes  to  be  attained  by  such  in- 
struction may  perhaps  be  grouped  under  three  heads. 
First,  the  development  of  intelligence  in 
purpose  of  religious  matters;  second,  the  inculcation 
instruction.  ^^  ^  Christian  spirit,  or  permanent  attitude 
of  mind ;  and  third,  the  cultivation  of  habits  of 
Christian  conduct.  When  we  compare  religious 
teaching  in  our  own  country  with  that  of  Germany 
and  England,  with  respect  to  the  first  head  we  find 
that  their  system  is  immeasurably  superior  to  our 
own.  In  the  first  place,  in  both  countries  there  is 
more  or  less  systematic  preparation  of  teachers  for 
this  class  of  work.  In  Germany,  teachers  are  per- 
haps more  carefully  prepared  for  imparting  religious 
.      .  information,   than    in    any   of   the    secular 

Amenca  '  ■'^ 

compared  branches.  The  same  thing  is  true  to  a 
urope.  gQjy^g^j^^i-  iggg  exteut  in  Great  Britain.  In 
the  next  place,  they  have  a  regular  graded  course  of 
instruction  adapted  to  the  mental  powers  of  the 
children,    the  whole  course  forming  a  consecutive 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,   AND   AMERICA.      63 

and  more  or  less  complete  survey  of  the  whole  field. 
Then,  they  devote  as  much  time  to  this  subject  as  to 
almost  any  branch  of  secular  learning. 

Turning  to  our  own  country  we  find  religious  in- 
struction entirely  excluded  from  the  Day-schools, 
consequently  narrowed  down  to  thirty  or 
forty  minutes  of  actual  teaching  per  week.  American 
We  find  the  work  in  charge  of  anybody  adequate. 
and  everybody  wdio  is  willing  to  undertake 
it.  The  classes  are  taught  by  people  of  all  possible 
grades  of  intelligence  and  of  biblical  knowledge. 
And  finally,  we  find  but  slight  attempt  at  adapting 
the  subject-matter  of  instruction  to  the  intellectual 
capacity  of  the  children,  so  that  it  is  quite  possible 
for  children  to  attend  Sunday-school  from  the  very 
earliest  years  until  adult  life  without  acquiring  very 
much  fundamental  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures. 
Instead,  therefore,  of  a  graded  course  of  instruction, 
with  adequate  time  for  presentation  by  a  trained 
body  of  teachers,  we  have  heterogeneous  selections, 
presented  in  the  main  by  untrained  teachers,  and  for 
but  very  brief  periods  once  a  week.  In  addition  to 
all  this,  our  system  is  woefully  lacking,  in  that  it  fails 
to  reach  at  all  a  large  part  of  the  children.  In 
Germany  and  England  practically  all  of  the  children 
receive  this  thorough-going  instruction,  but  with  us 
only  a  part  of  them  receive  it  for  extremely  brief 
periods  per  week,  and  for  only  such  portion  of  their 
lives  as  their  inclination,  or  the  inclination  and  cir- 
cumstances of  the  parents,  determine.  Therefore, 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  development  of  religious 
intelligence,    the    American    system    must   be    pro- 


64  RELIGIOUS   INSTRUCTION  IN 

nounced  the  most   fragmentary,   partial,   inefficient, 
haphazard  system  in  the  world. 

When  we  come  to  the  second  great  purpose  to 
be  attained  by  religious  instruction,  namely,  the 
America  inculcation  of  a  Christian  spirit,  we  have 
better  for       perhaps  not  so  much  cause  for  res^ret.      I 

Christian  \  .    ,    \     .       ,  ,  .^  ^        .  - 

spirit.  thmk  it  is  the  almost  unilorm  testimony  ol 

observers  that  the  Christian  attitude  of  mind  is  not 
always  to  be  measured  by  the  amount  of  religious 
knowledge  a  people  may  possess.  There  is  such  a 
thing  as  formalism  in  religion,  so  that  it  is  quite 
possible  for  a  people  to  possess  a  high  degree  of 
intelligence  in  such  matters  with  a  low  degree  of 
active  Christian  spirit.  It  is  quite  possible  for  the 
religion  to  remain  a  thing  apart  from  actual  life. 
The  extent  to  which  the  mental  attitude  toward  God 
finds  its  counterpart  in  the  mental  attitude  toward 
one's  fellow-men  does  not  depend  primarily  on 
the  amount  of  religious  knowledge  one  has.  It 
depends  upon  the  quickening  power  of  God  within 
the  soul,  upon  breadth  of  sympathy,  upon  the 
development  of  the  social  instincts,  upon  the  inculca- 
tion of  human  interests  in  the  heart.  Primitive  his- 
tory gives  us  many  illustrations  of  races  who  pray 
to  their  gods  and  prey  upon  their  fellow-men.  My 
own  observation  leads  me  to  think  that  the  influence 
of  religious  teaching  in  America  is  more  potent  in 
arousing  this  human  sympathy,  this  Christian  attitude 
of  mind  in  the  community  and  in  the  state,  than  is 
the  case  in  any  of  the  countries  with  which  we  are 
contrasting  our  own.  We  are  accustomed  to  think 
that  religion  is  a  life,  rather  than  a  doctrine  or  a  body 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND  AMERICA.      65 

of  knowledge,  and  it  can  be  a  life  only  to  the  extent 
to  which  the  Christian  spirit  is  inculcated  in  the 
youth. 

And  finally,  with  respect  to  cultivation  of  the 
habits  of  Christian  conduct,  I  think  we  need  not  be 
ashamed  of  the  results  in  this  country,  as    ,,    , 

•^  Also  for 

compared  with  those  in  England,  France,    Christian 
or  Germany,  especially  if  we  take  into  con-  ^°^*^^^*' 
sideration   the   extremely  limited   agencies   that  we 
have    for    directly   influencing    the    conduct    of  the 
young. 

As  to  possible  improvements  that  suggest  them- 
selves from  this  comparative  study,  though  it  is  easy 
to  see  what  were  good  to  be  done,  it  is  extremely 
difficult  to  see  how  it  can  be  done.     There 

Improve- 

are,  however,  a  few  points  that  I  will  raise  mentssug- 
for   your   consideration.      The   first   is   the  s®^*®^' 
query  whether  it  is  not  practicable  in  our  American 
Sunday-schools  to  provide  a  better  and  more  child- 
like presentation  of  religious  knowledge  in  the  earlier 
classes    of   the    Sunday-school.       The    Day-schools 
have  long  since  found  out  that  the  success  of  their 
instruction  depends  in  large  measure  upon  the  selec- 
tion  of  the  subject-matter   and   the   methods  of  its 
presentation  in  accordance  with  the  psycho- 
logical   laws    of   the    child's    interest    and   better 

.  Pedagogy 

growth.      While  it  is  of  course  possible  to  needed. 
present  in  a  way  almost  any  portion  of  the 
Bible  to  a  class  of  young  children,  whether  from  the 
Old  Testament  or  the  New,  from  the  Gospels,  the 
Epistles,  from  the  miracles  in  the  Old  Testament  or 
the  parables  in  the  New,  from  chronology  or  revela- 


66  RELIGIOUS   INSTRUCTION  IN 

tion,  yet  it  is  evident,  to  one  who  looks  at  the  subject 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  child's  capacities  and 
interests,  that  much  of  this  matter  is  introduced  at 
great  expense,  whether  w^e  consider  the  powers  of 
acquisition  or  the  spiritual  value  of  that  which  is 
acquired.  Would  it  not  be  more  profitable  to  confine 
the  earlier  work  to  the  Old  Testament  stories,  such 
as  those  of  Joseph,  Jacob,  Abraham,  and  Daniel;  to 
Suggested  such  histories,  as  that  of  Samuel;  and  to 
changes.  simple  narratives  of  the  life  of  Christ  ? 
These  matters  are  of  eternal  interest  to  the  child  and 
form  a  basis  for  a  mastery  of  scriptural  knowledge. 
Along  with  such  instruction  could  appropriately  go 
the  memorizing  of  the  Ten  Commandments,  of  suit- 
able proverbs,  and  of  portions  of  Scripture  of  deep 
religious  and  moral  import,  expressed  in  the  trans- 
parent language  of  the  Scriptures. 

In  the  earlier  years  of  such  instruction,  it  ought 
to  be  assumed  that  every  child  is  a  child  of  God ; 
that  by  virtue  of  this  fact  he  belongs  in  the  Christian 
family,  and  that  it  would  be  a  disaster  if,  for  any 
reason,  he  should  be  considered  as  excluded  from  it. 
The  Sunday-school  should  be  a  place  for  strengthen- 
ing him,  especially  in  his  mental  attitude  toward  his 
playmates  and  others  with  whom  he  comes  in  con- 
tact. 

As  the  period  of  adolescence  approaches,  every 
effort  of  the  religious  teachers  of  the  child  should  be 
Crucial  devoted  toward  fixing  in  his  mind  a  per- 

periodof        manent   Christian    attitude    tow^ard   every- 

adolescence,     ,i  .         •      .1  1  j        o-i  -      1         r       •      -i* 

thmg  m  the  world.      1  he  study  of  primitive 
races  and  of  genetic  psychology  show  that  this  is 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND  AMERICA.      67 

one  of  the  crucial  periods  in  the  Hfe  of  every  indi- 
vidual. Physically,  the  whole  body  and  nervous 
organism  of  the  child  is  in  its  most  plastic  and  most 
rapidly  growing  state.  Strong  impressions  made  at 
this  period  are  likely  to  have  a  lasting  effect.  It  is 
at  this  time  that  we  find  the  birth  of  the  social  in- 
terests. The  altruistic  feelings  begin  to  arise,  a  new 
consciousness  of  selfhood,  and  its  importance  in  the 
world  dawn  upon  the  child.  We  find  that,  in  primi- 
tive races,  this  is  the  period  for  solemn  initiation  into 
the  deeper  life  of  the  tribe.  Boys  are  often  put 
through  extremely  trying  physical  ordeals ;  a  loop 
of  flesh,  for  instance,  in  the  back  may  be  pierced  by 
a  thong  and  tied  to  a  revolving  pole  placed  hori- 
zontally, and  the  young  man  be  expected  to  tear 
himself  loose.  It  was  at  the  completion  of  his 
fourteenth  year  that  the  Roman  boy  assumed  the 
toga  virilis.  It  has  long  been  the  custom  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  and  the  Lutheran  Churches  to  con- 
firm both  boys  and  girls  at  this  period.  Especial 
pains  is  taken  at  this  time  to  impress  upon  them  the 
importance  and  seriousness,  the  sanctity  and  neces- 
sity of  a  religious  life.  It  is  said  that  children  are 
often  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  family,  given 
long  periods  of  meditation  in  which  they  are  admo- 
nished to  think  upon  their  eternal  salvation,  of  death, 
the  grave,  the  judgment.  They  are  led  to  feel  and 
express  contrition  for  sinful  conduct  and  feelings. 
Then,  when  all  these  ordeals  are  safely  passed, 
absolution  is  granted,  when  everything  becomes  full 
of  light  and  joy  and  happiness ;  the  children  don 
new    garments,   made    especially  for  this  occasion, 


6S  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN 

march  m  procession  and  formally  enter  upon  their 
Church-membership.  These  things  have  a  deep 
import  for  the  American  Protestant  Sunday-school. 
Children  ought  not  to  be  allowed  to  drift  on  and  on, 
with  the  general  assumption  that  they  are  lost  and 
the  vague  hope  that  some  time  they  will  be  redeemed  ; 
but  direct  conscious  effort  should  be  made  to  initiate 
them  into  a  distinctively  religious  life.  The  wisdom 
of  such  a  process  is  not  founded  upon  individual 
opinion,  but  finds  its  deep  foundation  in  the  history 
and  practices  of  the  race,  in  the  psychical  nature  of 
the  adolescent  mind  and  body. 

What  should  be  the  quality  of  the  religious  in- 
fluences brought  to  bear  upon  the  child  when  he  has 
passed  this  crucial  period  ?  Here  I  am  inclined  to 
„        .         think    is   a   matter  worthy  of  our   deepest 

Proper  m-  -^  ^ 

fluences  after  consideration.  The  history  of  Protestant 
religion  shows  that  from  the  earliest  times 
much  emphasis  has  been  laid  upon  purely  individual, 
subjective  states  of  mind.  And  this  original  tendency 
was  vastly  accentuated  by  religious  observances, 
recommended  and  inculcated  by  Whitefield  and 
Wesley.  They  insisted  upon  a  positive  and  vigorous 
subjective  experience,  accompanied  by  equally  vigor- 
ous and  objective  utterance  as  a  necessary  condition 
of  salvation.  In  the  older  times,  if  a  man  had  been 
asked,  "What  is  your  assurance  of  salvation  ?  "  he 
might  perhaps  have  answered,  "  The  welfare  of  my 
nation,  my  community,  my  family,  myself  Accord- 
ing to  our  thrift,  our  property,  our  health,  our 
physical  comfort,  our  freedom  from  the  pains  of  war, 
or  the  desolation  caused  by  natural  forces, — in  these 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERM /I  NY,  AND  AMERICA.      69 

things  I  have  a  warrant  for  behoving  that  I  stand 
within  the  favour  of  the  Lord."  Those  who  read 
the  Book  of  Job  appreciate  what  this  test  of  divine 
favour  means.  With  Whitefield  and  Wesley,  how- 
ever, a  new  test  of  divine  favour  is  introduced.  Not 
my  outward  condition,  but  my  inward  state  is  the 
criterion  of  my  eternal  welfare.  If  I  have  had  the 
necessary  mental  experience,  if  my  feelings  have 
passed  through  a  certain  crisis,  if  I  have  expressed 
in  public  my  contrition  and  my  joy,  then  am  I  certain 
of  my  salvation,  then  can  I  "  read  my  title  clear  to 
mansions  in  the  sky."  And  since  that  time,  Protes- 
tant denominations  have  been  disposed  to  emphasize 
the  necessity  of  these  subjective  states,  so  that  the 
religious  teaching,  and  the  assumptions  underlying  the 
teaching  and  furnishing  the  basis  of  its  spirit,  have 
been  the  necessity  of  constant  participation  in  these 
psychical  states,  so  that  we  find  the  emphasis  laid 
upon  such  things  as  rest  and  joy  and  inward  peace ; 
upon  temptations  and  prayers ;  upon  trials  and  resig- 
nation to  them;  upon  trust;  a  sense  of  sin,  of  atone- 
ment, of  love  of  God  and  hope  of  Heaven,  of  a  desire 
for  strength  against  the  ills  of  life.  We  find  a 
disposition  to  constant  introspection,  to  a  self-testing, 
to  see  if  we  have  the  feelings,  necessary  to  a  public 
analysis  of  how  we  feel  or  should  feel.  Now  all  of 
this,  or  most  of  it,  it  seems  to  me,  is  not  natural  to  the 
heart  and  mind  of  youth.  What  yearning  has  the 
active,  restless  mind  of  a  boy  for  rest  and  inward 
peace ;  what  experience  has  he  of  the  trials  of  life  or 
resignation  to  them ;  how  long  can  he  seriously  think 
of  death  and  the  grave  and  the  judgment ;  how  can 


70  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN 

he  be  expected  to  have  an  intense  love  o£God;  how 
can  a  lad  who  never  fears  a  physical  hurt  seriously 
dwell  upon  his  hope  of  Heaven  ?  How  can  he  have 
an  intense  longing  for  fortitude  against  a  host  of  ills 
which  he  never  experienced ;  how,  in  short,  can  a 
mind  which  is  by  nature  intensely  objective,  con- 
crete, synthetic,  ever  cultivate  a  deep  introspective 
spirit;  how  can  he  be  expected  to  analyze  his  feel- 
ings, and  especially  to  analyze  the  feelings  which  he 
never  has  or  which  he  can  have  only  when  he  is 
abnormally  trained  ?  Such  ideas  do  not  belong  to 
youth;  they  are  forced  and  unnatural.  I  confess 
that  I  sometimes  look  on  with  little  less  than  wonder 
when  I  see  a  young  collegian  of  sixteen  to  eighteen 
conducting  a  prayer-meeting,  exhorting  his  fellows 
to  these  subjective  experiences,  with  all  the  vigour 
that  a  college  boy  would  work  up  an  enthusiasm  for 
an  athletic  contest.  Can  one  rationally  expect  a 
youth  under  twenty  to  enjoy  a  prayer-meeting  .'' 
What  has  he  to  pray  for  in  public  .''  If  he  says  his 
prayers  when  he  goes  to  bed,  he  is  doing  as  much 
as  can  be  expected  of  a  youth.  I  do  not  know  what 
the  statistics  may  be  as  to  the  personnel  of  the 
teachers  in  our  Sunday-schools,  but  I  suspect  that 
most  of  them  are  women,  and  it  may  be  that  this  fact 
is  partially  responsible  for  the  attempt  to  inculcate 
the  states  of  mind,  which  are  at  best  those  of  maturity, 
if  not  those  that  are  more  common  in  women  than 
in  men. 

There  was  in  England  a  special  reason  why  there 
should  be  a  reaction  against  Puritanism  in  favour  of  a 
more    intense    subjective    religious    life    among    the 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND  AMERICA.      7 1 

people.    A.>  Prof.  Patten  shows  in  his  "  Development 
of   English  Thought, ' '    the    Puritans   had 

11  1-111  English  re- 

arisen  largely  to  suppress  the  vice  that  had  action  favours 
become  so  common  in  connection  with  rural  subjective 

religious  lifoi 

and  social  pleasures  of  the  English  people. 
These  customs  had  arisen  out  of  their  earlier,  more 
primitive  clannish  life,  their  outdoor  festivals,  their 
May-pole  dances,  and  their  numerous  social  gather- 
ings which  had  degenerated  so  that  they  became 
scenes  of  debauchery  and  had  to  be  suppressed.  The 
Puritans  succeeded  in  driving  them  out  of  existence; 
they  made  the  home  the  sole  seat  of  social  pleasures, 
and  in  this  way  deprived  the  people  of  a  means  of 
social  expression,  to  which  they  had  for  ages  been 
accustomed.  There  was  naturally,  therefore,  a  great 
suppressed  longing  for  the  manifestation  of  this  old 
racial  feeling,  so  that  when  Whitefield  and  Wesley 
devised  a  system  of  religious  exercises  which  would 
allow  the  people  to  come  together  again,  and  w^hen 
moreover  they  insisted  upon  a  set  of  psychical  ex- 
periences which  gave  vent  to  these  old  disused  social 
feelings,  there  was  an  immediate  and  wide-spread 
response  to  the  new  opportunity.  If  the  people 
could  not  go  to  May-pole  dances  and  outdoor  festi- 
vals, they  could  at  least  go  to  class-meetings  and 
camp-meetings;  they  could  meet  together  again  in 
the  Church  and  express  in  new  ways  their  old  social 
feelings. 

It  is  not  to  be  w^ondered  at  either  that  in  the  more 
primitive  stages  of  our  development  in  this  country 
those  ideas  should  be  warmly  welcomed  by  the  people. 
A  rural  or  pioneer  community  has  but  small  oppor- 


72  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN 

tunity  for  indulging  their  social  natures  ;^  the  young 
^   ,       ,      men  work,  week  in  and   week  out,  alone 

Early  atti-  '  .  '         . 

tudeof  on  the  farm,  seeing  almost  nobody,  having 

Amenca.  ^^^  social  functions  to  perform,  living  an 
isolated  life.  Under  such  conditions  there  would 
be  a  natural  receptivity  to  a  set  of  religious  exercises 
which  should  lend  a  dramatic  social  interest  to  life, 
as  was  the  case  in  the  ever-recurring  religious 
revivals.  There,  on  the  one  hand,  the  young  man, 
whose  social  nature  had  been  starved  for  the 
remainder  of  the  year,  found  an  opportunity  to  look 
on  at  an  exceedingly  dramatic  performance.  He 
beheld  his  neighbours,  his  friends,  and  acquaintances 
at  the  mourner's  bench,  alternately  groaning  with 
despair  and  shouting  with  victory;  he  beheld  the 
preacher  in  an  ecstasy  of  divine  rage  or  joy,  the  band 
of  singers  shouting  out  their  songs  of  praise ;  and  at 
the  same  time  he  felt  that  dread  possibility  that  he 
himself  might  at  any  moment  be  transformed  from  a 
spectator  to  an  actor  in  the  drama.  The  point  I  am 
making  is  that  the  emphasis  upon  these  psychical 
experiences,  their  public  expression  and  a  later 
rehearsal  of  these  initial  experiences,  was  based  upon 
a  real  need  of  society  first  in  England  as  a  whole, 
and  later  in  the  primitive,  non-social  condition  of  the 
American  people. 

While,  on  the  one  hand,  I  should  acknowledge  at 
once  that  there  was  an  historic  justification  for  insist- 
ing upon  such  religious  experiences,  I  do,  on  the 
other  hand,  claim  that  the  need  for  them  has  largely 
passed  away,  and  that  a  new  spiritual  attitude  should 
be  maintained   in  all  our  religious  work.      While  I 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND  AMERICA.      73 

do  think  that  every  youth,  in  the  early  period  of 
adolescence,  should  pass  through  a  some-  Ueedfora 
what  analogous  experience  in  his  religious  new  view. 
feeling,  so  that  his  attitude  toward  Christian  conduct 
may  be  permanently  right,  yet  I  think  the  emphasis 
from  this  time  on  ought  to  be  laid,  not  upon  subjective 
experience,  not  upon  introspective  analysis,  not  upon 
the  straining  after  feelings  which  are  unnatural  to 
youth,  but  upon  a  positive,  objective,  and  more  active 
expression  of  religious  life,  which  finds  its  manifesta- 
tion in  actual  work  in  the  community.  The  plant 
of  Christian  character  ought  to  thrive  and  grow  in 
the  human  soul;  but  in  some  sense  I  think  it  ought 
to  grow  just  as  the  intellect  grows, — not  by  pulling 
it  up  by  the  roots  to  see  how  fast  it  is  growing  or 
how  much  it  has  grown, — but  by  exercise  upon  those 
things  that  continue  its  unconscious  development. 
We  push  a  boy  on  in  his  arithmetic  and  encourage  him 
to  try  hard  examples ;  we  rejoice  with  him  when  he 
masters  them ;  we  try  to  awaken  his  eager  interest 
in  science  or  literature  or  language,  assured  that 
while  he  is  doing  these  things  he  is  growing  in  in- 
tellectual strength.  We  never  think,  however,  of 
trying  to  make  him  self-conscious,  of  trying  to  make 
him  examine  his  own  mind  to  see  how  far  he  has 
gone ;  that  matter  takes  care  of  itself  And  so  largely 
in  the  life  of  feeling,  we  want  him  to  feel  correctly 
about  a  thousand  things,  but  we  never  ask  him  to 
feel  that  he  feels.  So  in  the  religious  growth.  I 
cannot  believe  that  this  constant  importunity  to  turn 
the  mind  in  upon  itself,  in  order  that  it  may  be  con- 
scious of  its  own  processes,  of  its  own  states,  is  any 


74  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN 

more  wise  or  needful  for  actual  growth  than  would 
a  similar  process  be  in  the  intellectual  field. 

That  the  problem  is  a  difficult  one  under  existing 
conditions,  I  should  be  the  first  to  grant.  Religion 
„    ,    .         itself  in  Eng'land  and  America  has  ceased 

Empnasize  °  ^ 

man's  reia-  to  be  largely  subjective.  Emphasis  is  no 
ni^w-in  n  longer  laid  upon  the  saving  power  of  doc- 
trines or  beliefs,  the  individualistic  attitude, 
whereby  a  man's  chief  concern  is  to  save  his  soul  in 
another  world,  is  no  longer  insisted  upon;  but  the 
attitude  of  a  man  in  society,  his  social  interests  and 
duties,  the  welfare  of  the  country,  the  protection  of 
the  youth  from  contaminating  influences  of  men,  who 
would  destroy  that  they  themselves  may  be  enriched, 
pure  politics,  social  activity,  reciprocity,  solidarity 
of  the  community  in  the  things  that  make  for 
righteousness,  for  well-being,  good  conduct, — these 
are  the  things  that  are  emphasized  in  the  pulpit, 
these  are  the  things  it  seems  to  me  that  should  be 
emphasized  in  the  Sunday-schools.  If  the  introspec- 
tive analysis  of  states  of  feeling  has  been  remanded 
to  a  secondary  position  in  the  Church,  there  is  all  the 
more  need  that  it  should  sink  into  its  proper  relations 
in  the  Sunday-school.  Adults  may  perhaps  indulge 
harmlessly  in  introspection,  if  they  find  pleasure  in 
so  doing,  but  such  a  custom  is  contrary  to  the  whole 
instinct  and  nature  of  youth.  If  the  emphasis  upon 
psychic  experience  was  a  natural  outlet  for  the 
pent-up  social  feelings  of  a  race,  as  in  England,  or 
of  primitive  communities  in  pioneer  America,  so  in 
the  religious  training  of  youth,  if  we  would  attain 
the  highest  excellence,  we  must  rely  not  upon  the 


ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AND  AMERICA.      75 

occasional   needs  arising  from  locality,  or  condition 
in  life,  but  upon  the  permanent  needs  that  grow  out 
of  the  very  nature  of  the  youthful   mind,    should  meet 
Here  we  shall  be  responding  to  universal   universal 
conditions,  not  to  accidental  circumstances, 
for  I    firmly  believe   that  religious    instruction,   like 
secular  instruction,  can  reach  its  highest  success  only 
when  it  is  in  fundamental  accord  with  the  nature  of 
the  mind  that  is  to  be  educated. 

Finally  it  may  be  said  that  in  this  country,  although 
we  have  done  much,  we  have  still  more  to  do.  We 
have  first  of  all,  and  perhaps  hardest  of  all,  improve  Stm- 
to  secure  adequate  time  for  relieious  train-  day-school 

methods. 

ing.  Thirty  or  forty  minutes  per  week  are 
not  enough  to  secure  the  requisite  religious  intelli- 
gence. Then  we  must  have  in  some  way  a  better 
trained  body  of  teachers  to  do  the  work.  We  must 
be  able  to  rely  not  upon  occasional  consecrated 
effort;  but  to  consecration  we  must  add  preparation. 
Then,  again,  we  must  attempt  to  adjust  our  instruc- 
tion to  the  nature  of  the  children's  minds  and  not 
present,  indiscriminately  to  tottering  age  and  vigor- 
ous manhood  and  budding  youth  and  feeble  childhood, 
the  same  lesson  at  the  same  time.  We  must  too,  I 
think,  take  a  lesson  from  modern  psychology  and 
ancient  race  experience,  and  recognise  more  fully 
than  we  are  doing  the  supreme  importance  of  bring- 
ing the  mind  into  the  line  of  Christian  sympathy  and 
Christian  conduct  at  the  age  of  early  adolescence.  And 
finally  we  rnust,  as  I  have  said,  adapt  the  spirit  of  our 
instruction  to  the  spirit  of  youth.  A  mighty  work 
to  do,  it  may  be  thought,  but  mightily  worth  doing! 


IV. 


THE    CONTENT    OF    RELIGIOUS    IN- 
STRUCTION. 

By  the  Very  Reverend  George  Hodges,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Cam- 
bridge Divinity  School. 


SYNOPSIS   OF   LECTURE  IV. 

Content  of  Religious  Instruction  determined  by  its  Purpose. 
Compared  with  Purposes  of  Public  and  Private  Schools. 
All  Religious  Instruction  in  entire  Parish  has  the  same  end  in  view. 
The  Content  of  Religious  Instruction,  {a)  Character  and  (fi)  Church 

Material, 

(a)  Character  Material,  Catechism  and  Bible. 
(l^)  Church  Material,  Prayer-lx)ok  and  Church  History. 
The  Distribution  of  Material  found  in  (I)  the  Sunday-school,  and  (II) 

the  Congregation. 
The  Sunday-school,  in  Infant  School,  Main  School,  and  Bible  Classes. 
The   Congregation,    in  Confirmation   Class,    Sunday    Services,    and 

Mid-week  Service. 

1.  The  Sunday-school. 

A.  Infant  School.     Develop  (i)  Memory  by  Creed,  Lord's 

Prayer,  Decalogue,  Hymns  ;  and  (2)  Imagination  by 
Bible  Stories. 

B.  The  Main  School.      Teach  (i)  Catechism,  (2)  Bible, 

and  (3)  Prayer-book,  (i)  Catechism  recited  and  ex- 
plained. (2)  Bible,  the  Historical  Books  only.  (3) 
Prayer-book,  by  actual  use  in  Services.  Special  Ser- 
vices, Christmas,  Easter,  Stereopticon,  etc. 

2.  The  Congregation. 

(i)  Sunday-morning  Services.  Use  Systematic  Courses  of 
Sermons.  (2)  The  Confirmation  Class.  Full  Course 
of  Church  Doctrine  and  Practice.  (3)  The  Mid-week 
Services.  Definite  Bible  Study.  (4)  The  Sunday- 
evening  Services.  Use  Lecture  System,  to  interest, 
instruct,  and  convict. 


THE   CONTENT    OF   RELIGIOUS    INSTRUC- 
TION. 

The  content  of  religious  instruction  is  determined 
by  the  purpose  for  which  the  instruction  is  given  and 
by  the  persons  who  are  to  be  instructed. 

What    is    the     purpose    of    reHgious    instruction  ? 
What  is  it  for  ?     We  know  what  the  Day-school  is 
for:  its  immediate  intention  is  to  train  and  purpose  of 
inform  the  mind;   its  ultimate  intention,  if  religious 

...         -r.  •       ,  1        1     •     -  instruction. 

it  is  a  rrivate  school,  is  to  prepare  young 
persons  for  society;  its  ultimate  intention,  if  it  is  a 
Public  school,  is  to  prepare  young  people  for  citizen- 
ship. These  intentions  are  by  no  means  realized  in 
full  by  administrators  of  secular  education.  The 
"Trustees"  and  the  ''Board"  are  sometimes  but 
dimly  aware  of  them.  And  the  school,  private  and 
public,  fails  accordingly  to  render  its  natural  and 
needed  service  to  the  community.  But  this  is  the 
true  ideal,  and  towards  it  an  encouraging  number  of 
educators  are  working.  The  private  school  is  to 
make  boys  into  gentlemen,  and  girls  into  gentle- 
women, well-mannered,  appreciative  of  what  is  good 
in  art  and  letters,  arid  understanding  the  relation 
between  privilege  and  responsibility.  The  public 
school  is  to  make  boys  into  intelligent  voters,  and 

79 


So      THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

girls — presently — into  intelligent  voters,  and  thus 
to  assist  the  state  by  raising  the  general  level  of  its 
life,  cultivating  public  spirit,  making  young  persons 
acquainted  with  the  history,  the  present  conditions, 
and  the  possibilities  of  their  own  country,  common- 
wealth, city,  or  township,  teaching  the  relation 
between  the  ballot  and  the  office  and  the  social  wel- 
fare of  the  people. 

What  is  the  purpose  of  the  Sunday-school  ?  It  is 
to  do  for  Christianity  and  the  Church  what  the 
private  and  the  public  schools  are  meant  to  do  for 
..     -.^,        society  and  the  state.      It  is  to  make  the 

Aim  of  the  -^ 

Sunday-  boys  and  girls  good  Christians,  sincere 
disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  knowing  Him, 
believing  in  Him,  loving  Him,  and  obeying  Him, 
showing  their  discipleship  by  the  gentleness,  the 
thoughtfulness,  the  honesty,  the  purity,  and  the 
unselfishness  of  their  lives.  And  it  is  to  make 
the  boys  and  girls  good  Churchmen,  understanding 
the  Church,  its  history,  its  principles,  its  customs, 
its  blessings,  devoted  to  the'  Church,  making  the 
most  of  it  for  the  good  of  their  own  individual  lives, 
using  it  to  help  them  to  do  right,  and  making  the 
most  of  it  for  the  good  of  the  community,  using  the 
Church  for  the  general  establishment  of  the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven.  This  is  the  purpose  of  the  Sunday-school. 
It  is  to  train  Christians  and  Churchmen.  It  is  to 
build  up  character  m  the  Church,  with  the  appliances 
^the  Church. 

The  same  is  true  of  all  other  systematic  religious 
instruction  in  the  Parish.  It  holds  in  the  pulpit  as 
well  as  in  the  schoolroom.      The  parish  priest  will 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.      8 1 

be  a  teacher  as  well  as  a  preacher.  The  difference 
between  teaching  and  preaching  is  partly 
that  preaching  may  appeal  to  the  emotions,  thTsam^™ 
while  teaching  appeals  to  the  understanding 
only;  but  chiefly  that  the  preacher  tries  to  bring 
about  an  immediate  result,  to  lead  to  conviction, 
resolution,  and  amendment  before  the  end  of  the 
hour,  while  the  teacher  uses  a  more  patient  process, 
takes  a  longer  time  and  a  longer  look,  endeavours 
to  prepare  the  learner  to  listen  to  the  sermon,  and 
to  assist  the  will  gradually  by  informing  the  mind. 
But  all  the  teaching,  wherever  given,  will  be  for  the 
purpose  of  training  Christians  and  Churchmen.  That 
is,  it  will  have  both  an  individual  and  a  social  inten- 
tion;  an  individual  intention, — to  build  up  Christian 
character;  and  a  social  intention, — to  make  Christian 
character  strong,  abiding,  and  serviceable  by  the  aid 
of  the  Church,  by  bringing  the  individual  into  rela- 
tion with  the  sacramental  influences  which  make  for 
character,  and  by  bringing  him  also  into  relation  with 
the  institutional  conditions  which  will  increase  his 
efficiency,  as  the  efficiency  of  the  soldier  is  increased 
by  keeping  step  with  the  regiment. 

The  content  of  religious  instruction  as  determined 
by  its  purpose  will  consist,  therefore,  of  two  kinds  of 
material:    character    material   and   Church   content  of 
material.      It  is  neither  wise  nor  desirable   religious 
to  make  a  sharp  distinction  between  these 
two.      It  is  perhaps  true  that  in  the  Middle  Ages, 
when  the  social   idea  prevailed  in  the  Church  as  it 
did  in  the  state,  people  were  made  Churchmen  with- 
out being  made  Christians;   the  most  frequent  and 


82       THE    CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

emphatic  teaching  of  the  Church  had  to  do  with 
attendance  upon  Sacraments  and  Services,  and  with 
the  position  and  power  of  the  ecclesiastical  institution. 
It  is  certainly  true  that  at  the  present  day,  in  this 
individualistic  age,  people  are  often  made  Christians 
without  being  made  Churchmen  ;  they  have  no  appre- 
ciation of  the  privilege  of  the  sacraments,  no  loyalty 
to  the  Church  as  an  institution,  and  little  sense  of 
social  religious  responsibility.  What  we  want  is 
that  they  shall  be  made  Christians  and  Churchmen 
at  the  same  time,  as  we  want  a  man  to  be  at  the 
same  time  a  gentleman  and  a  good  citizen.  Ac- 
cordingly, what  we  call  character  material  is  Church 
material  also,  and  what  we  call  Church  material 
is  a  contribution  to  character.  The  difference  is 
not  so  much  in  the  details  as  in  the  general  tend- 
ency. 

Where,  then,  shall  we  find  our  character  material  ? 
What  ought  one  to  be  taught  in  order  to  be  a 
Character  Christian  ?  There  is  excellent  authority 
material.  for  saying  that  one  ought  to  be  taught  the 
Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Ten  Command- 
ments,— the  Commandments  as  the  moral  heritage 
Subject-  of  the  Old  Testament;  the  Prayer  as  the 
matter.  expression  of  the  spirit  of  the  New  Testa- 

ment, as  illustrating  and  teaching  the  Christian 
attitude  towards  God  and  towards  man ;  and  the 
Creed,  as  the  voice  of  the  mind  and  heart  of  the 
Church.  These,  then,  are  in  immediate  relation  to 
The  Gate-  character,  because  they  instruct  us  How  to 
chism.  2ict,    How    to    pray,    and    How   to    think. 

They  are  assembled  in  the  Church  Catechism.      Let 


THE   CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS   INSTRUCTION,       83 

US,  therefore,  set  down  the  Church  Catechism  first 
among  our  character  materials. 

The  Catechism,  however,  is  not  enough  for  the 
purposes  of  instruction.  It  lacks  the  power  of  per- 
sonal example.    We  need  to  see  men,  who 

1  1      1-  .       ,.      ,        .  The  Bible. 

nave  acted  m  obedience  or  m  disobedience 

to  the  Commandments,  that  we  may  perceive  how 
they  fared.  We  need  to  see  men,  who  have  lived 
the  life  of  prayer,  and  to  hear  their  words  of  devo- 
tion. We  need  to  see  men,  who  have  thought  as  the 
Creed  thinks,  and  to  see  what  sort  of  men  they  were, 
and  how  they  came  to  think  these  thoughts,  and 
what  they  meant.  Abstract  statements,  dogmatic 
pronouncements,  ethical  precepts,  are  like  a  library 
in  the  dark:  the  truth  is  there,  but  we  cannot  see  to 
read  it.  A  single  concrete  example  is  like  a  match 
which  brings  light  into  the  darkness  and  makes 
things  plain.  Where  shall  we  find  such  examples  ? 
They  are  scattered  through  all  literature,  they  are  to 
be  found — some  of  them — in  the  daily  paper,  and 
they  live  on  our  own  street ;  but  they  are  nowhere  so 
clearly  seen,  with  the  spiritual  meanings  so  directly 
taught,  as  in  the  pages  of  the  Bible.  Let  us  add 
the  Bible,  then,  to  our  store  of  character  material. 

Taking  thus  the  Catechism  and  the  Bible  as  our 
text-books  for  instruction  in  character,  where  shall 
we  turn  for  good  learning  in  the  matter  of  cimrch 
the  Church  ?  The  Church  book  is  the  material. 
Book  of  Common  Prayer.  In  order  to  be  an  intelli- 
gent Churchman  one  must  know  that  book,  whence 
it  came,  what  it  is  and  means,  and  how  it  is  to  be 
so  used  as  to  get  the  best  blessing  out  of  it. 


84       THE   CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION, 

The  Prayer-book,  however,  Hke  the  Catechism 
lacks  the  illumination  of  personality.  It  does  not 
The  Prayer-  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^°  seriously  as  the  Catechism, 
book.  because  it  stands  in  more  close  and  evident 

relation  to  our  own  personality.  It  is  our  own  book, 
and  as  we  use  it  year  by  year  associations  gather 
about  it,  new  meanings  appear  in  it  interpreted  by 
our  own  experience,  and  its  words  become  the  words 
of  our  own  hearts.  There  is  a  great  difference 
between  a  treatise  on  prayer,  and  the  very  act  of 
prayer;  a  great  difference  between  the  Command- 
ments quoted  in  order  from  the  Book  of  Exodus  and 
the  Commandments  followed  each  by  the  response, 
"Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us,  and  incline  our  hearts 
to  keep  this  law  "  ;  a  great  difference  between  the 
explanation  and  the  realization  of  the  Sacraments. 
That  is  the  difference  between  the  Catechism  and  the 
Prayer-book.  But  as  we  added  the  Bible  to  the 
Catechism  in  the  material  for  the  upbuilding  of 
Christian  character,  so  we  need  to  add  Church  His- 
tory to  the  Prayer-book  in  our  material  for  the 
upbuilding  of  Christian  Churchmanship.  The  History 
Churcii  of  the  Church,  if  we  can  read  it  right,  will 

History.  teach  us  the  origin,  the  progress,  and  the 
position  of  the  Church,  will  make  us  see  how  differ- 
ent it  is'  from  other  associations  of  Christians,  will 
make  us  appreciate  it  and  be  intelligently  loyal  to 
it ;  and  it  will  assist  us  to  be  good  Churchmen  by  the 
examples  of  the  strong  men  and  devout  women,  who 
have  lived  in  the  Church's  spirit  and  have  derived 
strength  and  devotion  from  the  Church.  So  that  the 
study  of  Church  History  is  like  the  study  of  our  own 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.      85 

ancestors.  It  maybe  dull  enougli,  and  often  is:  bat 
undertaken  aright  it  will  give  us  a  natural  and  sus- 
taining family  pride,  and  will  fill  our  memories  with 
the  words  and  deeds  of  those  who  from  their  kinship 
offer  us  an  inspiring  example.  We  are  not  willing 
to  learn  without  correction  the  question  of  the  little 
girl  who  said,  "Mamma,  whom  are  we  degenerated 
from  .''  "  We  would  rather  be  in  the  mind  of  the 
man  who  turned  his  back  on  his  temptations,  and 
from  being  a  common  tramp  became  a  decent  citizen, 
because  he  remembered  that  one  of  his  progenitors 
had  been  a  commanding  officer  in  the  W\ar  of  Inde- 
pendence. The  history  of  the  Church  is  somewhat 
more  difficult  to  study  than  the  other  subjects  of 
religious  knowledge,  because  there  is  no  one  satisfac- 
tory book  which  contains  it.  It  is  hardly  possible 
to  make  much  use  of  it,  for  that  reason,  in  the 
Sunday-school.  But  it  ought  to  be  taught,  and 
taught  with  regularity  and  system,  iri  every  parish. 
It  cannot  be  omitted  from  the  content  of  religious 
instruction. 

Here,  then,  we  have  our  material:  character 
material  in  the  Catechism  and  in  the  Bible,  Church 
material  in  the  Prayer-book  and  in  Church  history. 

The    distribution    of  this    material,    the    order    of 
teaching,  the  use  which  shall  be  made  of  the  content 
thus  determined  for  us  by  the  purpose  for  Distribution 
which    the    instruction    is    given,    must   be   ofthe 

,.,11  .  ,      .  .  ,  materiali 

decided  by  considermg  the  persons  who  are 
to    be    instructed.       They    are  found  in    two    com- 
panies:  in   the  Sunday-school  and  in  the  Congrega- 
tion.      The     Sunday-school    is     divided    into    three 


S6      THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

sections:  the  Infant  School,  the  Main  School,  and 
the  Bible  Class.  The  Congregation  meets  for 
systematic  teaching  upon  three  occasions:  at  the 
Confirmation  Class,  at  the  Mid-week  Service,  and  at 
the  Sunday-evening  Service. 

What  shall  be  taught  in  the  Infant  School  ?  These 
little  children  cannot  read,  and  they  cannot  follow 
Infant  ^  long  train  of  reasoning,  but  they  bring 

School.  to  their  lessons  two  inestimable  qualities, 

which  many  of  them  will  never  have  again  in  a  like 
degree :  one  is  memory,  the  other  is  imagination. 

We  will  make  use,  then,  of  their  memory.      We 

will  try  to  store  it  with  that  which  is  worth  remem- 

berincf.      Here,   however,   we  are  at    once 

Thepeda-  ^ 

gogicsof  confronted  with  the  question  which  the 
memorizing,  pg^^^gogues  have  debated  and  have  for  the 
most  part  decided:  Should  children  be  taught  to 
memorize  what  they  do  not  understand  ?  The  peda- 
gogues say,  "No."  The  catechetical  method,  so 
far  as  it  consists  in  fixed  questions  and  invariable 
answers,  has  no  respectable  position  now,  except  in 
Sunday-school.  It  must  be  confessed  that  the 
memorizing  of  the  Church  Catechism,  as  that  exer- 
cise has  sometimes  been  conducted,  is  not  to  edifica- 
tion. It  has  made  the  children  hate  the  Catechism ; 
and  its  results  have  been  generally  discouraging. 
One  of  the  classic  instances  is  '*My  duty  towards 
my  neighbour  "  as  it  was  written  out  by  a  small 
child  after  it  had  been  taught  in  an  English  Sunday- 
school  : 

' '  My    dooty    tords    my    nabers    to    love    him    as 
myself,  and  to  do  to  all  men  as  I  woud  they  shall 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.      S7 

do  and  to  me,  to  love,  onner  and  sukc  my  father 
and  mother  and  bay  the  Queen  and  all  that  are  pet 
in  a  forty  under  her,  to  smit  myself  to  all 

,  .    ,  ,     Illustration 

my  goones  teachers  spartial  pastures  and  of  wrong 
masters,    who  oughten    myself  lordly  and   memoriter 
every  to  all    my  betters,   to    hut    nobody 
by  would  nor  deed,  to  be  trew  and  jest  in  all  my 
dealins,  to  beer  no  malis  nor  atred  in  your  arts,  to 
kep  my  ands  from  pecking  and  steel  my  turn  from 
evil  speak  and  lawing  and  slanders,  not  to  civit  and 
desar  other   mans   good,   but  to  learn   labor  trewly 
to  get  my  own  leaving  and  to  do  my  duty  in  that 
state   if  life  and  to  each   it  lies  please  God  to  call 
men. " 

Nevertheless,  it  is  both  profitable  and  necessary 
that  the  memory  should  sometimes  outrun  the  perfect 
understanding.  When  the  memory  gets  altogether 
out  of  sight  of  the  understanding,  things  are  amiss 
indeed.  But  that  need  not  happen.  It  is  true  of 
every  one  of  us  that  there  are  sentences  in 

,        r  1  •  Memory  may 

our  memory — words  01  prayer    and  praise,    outrun  full 

verses  of  high   poetry,  utterances  of  saints   understand- 
ing, 
and   wise  men — which   our   understanding 

has  not  even  yet  fully  overtaken.  We  do  not  even 
yet  know  what  they  mean.  But  the  day  will  come 
when  our  experience  shall  teach  us,  and  in  that 
day  the  remembered  word  shall  be  an  interpreter 
and  a  counsellor.  We  want  to  put  such  words  into 
the  memories  even  of  little  children.  They  cannot 
understand  the  Creed,  nor  the  Ten  Commandments, 
nor  even  the  Lord's  Prayer;  but  they  can  under- 
stand something  about  them.      And  that  is  all  that 


88      THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

can  be  said  of  us.  Let  us  then  bring  those  great 
words  into  the  Infant  School,  teach  them  with  such 
iteration  that  the  children  can  never  forget  them, 
and  tell  them  what  they  mean  just  so  far  as  we  can 
make  it  plain  and  they  can  see  it. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  make  the  Creed,  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  and  the  Ten  Commandments  a  part  of  the 
regular  opening  service  of  the  Infant  School,  and  to 
follow  the  recitation  by  a  lesson  every  Sunday  in 
some  simple  text-book  which  takes  them  up  in  order, 
v/ord  by  word.  To  these  stores  for  the  memory, 
may  well  be  added  words  of  hymns,  and  fitting  texts 
of  Scripture;  the  Scripture  texts  being  preferably 
taught  alphabetically — '*  A  soft  answer  turneth  away 
wrath  "  ;    * '  Be  merciful,  "  "Be  patient. ' ' 

The  imagination  of  the  child  will  be  appealed  to 
in  the  instruction  given  in  the  Bible.  The  best  way 
,      .    ,.       to  teach  the  Bible  in  the  Infant  School  is 

Imagination 

in  the  Infant  to  tell   Bible  stories.      I  would  begin  with 
^  °° '  Adam  and  go  straight  through  to  the  last 

chapter  of  the  Revelation  of  St.  John.  It  is  neces- 
sary that  this  be  done  systematically  and  graphically: 
systematically,  in  that  the  order  of  the  stories  be  laid 
out  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  and  followed  Sunday 
after  Sunday;  graphically,  in  that  the  stories  be 
brought  as  close  as  possible  to  contemporary  life, 
and  the  heroes  and  heroines  be  made  real.  The 
content  of  this  instruction  will  need  re-translation  to 
adapt  it  to  the  understanding  of  small  children. 
Pharoah  in  his  dream  will  see  cows  instead  of 
"  kine,"  and  the  Prodigal  Son  will  dispute  his  dinner 
with  pigs  instead  of  ''swine."      The  men  will  obey 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION-      89 

the  command  which  Michael  Angelo  gave  to 
Donatello's  St.  George;  they  will  "march."  The 
battle  of  the  lamps  and  trumpets,  for  example ;  the 
children  will  stand  as  breathless  spectators  of  that 
splendid  fight.  They  will  look  out  through  the  dark, 
and  see  the  dim  outlines  of  the  tents  of  the  Midian- 
ites.  They  will  watch  the  army  of  Gideon,  as  they 
hide  behind  the  trees  to  light  their  lanterns.  They 
will  see  them  creeping  silently  over  towards  the 
sleeping  camp,  every  man  a  sharp  sword  in  his  belt, 
in  his  left  hand  a  lantern  hidden  in  a  pitcher,  in  his 
right  a  trumpet.  Suddenly  the  word  is  given,  crash 
go  three  hundred  stout  trumpets  against  three  hundred 
breaking  pitchers,  and  the  lights  shine  out,  and  the 
trumpets  make  a  noise  like  that  of  forty  nights- 
before-the-"  Fourth  "  in  one,  and  every  brave 
Israelite  shouts  with  all  his  might,  *'  The  sword  of  the 
Lord  and  of  Gideon !  ' '  And  then  the  wild  panic, 
and  the  flight,  with  Gideon  hot  after  them. 

Let  us  then  set  down  as  the  content  of  religious 
instruction  in  the  Infant  School,  the  Creed,  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Ten  Commandments,  with 
the  words  of  hymns  and  Scripture  texts  storing  the 
memory;  and  stories  from  the  Bible,  stirring  the 
imagination. 

In  the   Main  School,  instruction  will  naturally  be 
given  in  tlie  Catechism,  the  Bible,  and  the   The  Main 
Prayer-book.  School. 

It  is  well,  in  the  Main  School  as  in  the  Infant 
School,  to  make  the  catechetical  instruction  a  part 
of  the  Opening  Service.  It  may  take  the  place  of 
that    which     in     liturgical     language    we     call    the 


9°       THE   CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

"lesson."  It  does  not  seem  advisable — the  time 
being  so  brief — to  read  at  the  service  the  portion  of 
Scripture  which  is  presently  to  he  studied.  That 
has  a  space  of  its  own.  Take  a  Catechism  lesson 
instead.  There  are  two  purposes  which  this  lesson 
is  to  attain :  it  is  meant  to  impress  the  exact  words 
of  the  entire  Catechism  upon  the  minds  of  the 
children,  and  it  is  intended  also  to  bring  as  much  as 
possible  of  its  meaning  into  their  hearts.  The 
Catechism  falls  naturally  into  five  divisions:  the 
Covenant,  the  Creed,  the  Commandments,  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  and  the  Sacraments.  If  one  of  these  after 
another  is  recited  by  the  school  in  concert  every 
Sunday,  that  will  take  the  scholars  through  the 
Catechism  ten  times  a  year;  and  without  seriously 
wearying  them.  Let  this  recitation  be  followed  by 
a  five-minute  explanation  (never  longer)  of  a  single 
phrase,  in  order,  each  Sunday  a  fiftieth  part  of  the 
whole.  Thus  the  Catechism  will  be  gone  over  with 
interpretation  once  in  the  course  of  a  year. 

As  for  the  Bible,  the  historical  books  lend  them- 
selves most  naturally  to  the  purposes  of  Main  School 
instruction.  They  are  interesting,  and  abundantly 
Bible  use  his-  suggestive,  and  they  teach  truth  in  the  most 
toricai  books  convincing  way,  by  example.  It  is  neces- 
on  y,  ere.  ^^^y,  however,  to  bring  all  the  Bible  books, 
at  least  by  allusion,  into  the  content  of  instruction, 
even  in  the  Main  School.  The  children  ought  to 
be  taught  not  only  the  content,  but  the  contents  of 
Holy  Scripture ;  I  mean  the  names  of  all  the  books 
in  their  succession,  so  that  they  may  be  able  to  find 
their  way  about  among  them.     Whatever  the  system 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS    INSTRUCTION.      91 

of  lessons,  the  Bible  ought  to  be  so  taught,  that  every 
scholar  shall  know  what  Joseph  did  in  Egypt,  and 
Joshua  in  Canaan,  what  Amos  wrote  about  in  his 
prophecy,  and  St.  Paul  in  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians, 
and  the  great  successive  words  and  deeds  of  the 
Ministry  of  Christ. 

This  may  be  attained  by  taking  for  one  year  the 
history  from  Genesis  to  Ruth — the  era  of  the  origin 
and  establishment  of  the  Old  Testament  people  ;  and 
for  the  next  year  the  history  from  I.  Samuel  to 
Esther — the  era  of  the  Old  Testament  Kingdom, 
united,  divided,  destroyed,  and  restored ;  and  for 
the  third  year  one  of  the  Gospels ;  and  for  the  fourth 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles ;  with  a  fifth  year  given  to 
the  Books  of  the  Bible,  in  their  order,  having  the 
scholars  read  a  brief  characteristic  passage  of  each 
book  and  giving  them  a  brief  analysis  of  each  book, 
which  will  sufficiently  answer  the  question,  What  is 
it  about  ? 

Taking  thus  the  historical  books  for  the  chief  con- 
tent of  instruction  in  the  Main  School,  the  remainder 
of  the  Bible — poetry,   prophecy,  and  epistles — may 
be    assigned    to    the    Bible    Class,    to    be  L^^^g 
studied    a    book   at   a    time    carefully   and  Poetry, 
thoroughly.       The     Main    School    lessons  Epistles  to 
may  be  adjusted  to  some  one  of  the  many  ^^^^^  Classes. 
excellent   systems,   whose  rival  attractions   perplex 
the  rector  and  the  teacher;  or  they  may  be  arranged, 
as  I  have  just  suggested,  by  the  rector  himself,  fitting 
them  to  his  own  teachers  and  his  own  school.      The 
Bible    Class    lessons,    almost   of   necessity,    will    be 
chosen  for  the  individual  class.      While  there  is  an 


92       THE   CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

ideal  advantage  in  having  the  entire  body  of  Bible 
students  intent  upon  the  same  lesson,  and  studying 
it,  old  and  young  together,  around  the  evening  lamp 
on  Saturday  night,  this  ideal  is  now  so  rarely  realized 
that  it  is  perhaps  better  to  frankly  abandon  it,  and 
minister  to  the  harmless,  natural  pride  of  young 
persons  of  sixteen  years  of  age  and  over  by  giving 
them  lessons  which  are  quite  different  from  those 
studied  by  the  youngsters.  Let  us  take,  for  example, 
for  six  months  the  Book  of  Psalms ;  and  for  the  next 
six  months,  the  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians ;  let  us 
spend  a  year  in  the  Book  of  Daniel  and  the 
Revelation  of  St.  John;  let  us  study  Isaiah  for 
twelve  months;  and  the  minor  prophets,  one  each 
month.  Once  in  four  or  five  years,  the  Bible 
Classmay  profitably  be  turned  into  a  Prayer-book 
Class,  taking  the  book  from  the  title-page  to  the 
Articles. 

In  the  Main  School,  the  Prayer-book  is  best 
taught,  in  my  judgment,  by  actual  use  of  it  in  the 
p  ,  ,  Service.  It  is  intended  partly  for  purposes 
by  actual  of  worship,  and  partly  for  purposes  of  in- 
struction. It  gives  us  helpful  forms  of 
praise  and  petition,  and  it  appoints  us  Holy  Seasons 
whereby  certain  great  truths,  on  which  our  praises 
and  petitions  rest,  are  called  to  our  remembrance. 
What  we  want  is  that  these  forms  and  seasons  shall 
become  a  part  of  the  lives  of  the  children.  The 
forms  may  be  taught  by  the  ordinary  services  of 
the  school,  and  the  seasons  by  certain  special 
services,  designed  to  emphasize  and  illustrate 
them. 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.      93 

The  ordinary  Service  of  the  Sunday-school  becomes 
not  only  an  act  of  worship  but  a  means  of  profitable 
instruction  partly  by  the  use  of  the  Book  of  The  School 
Common  Prayer  in  that  Service,  allowing-  Semce. 
no  service-card  or  leaflet  to  take  its  place ;  and  partly 
by  so  arranging"  the  Service  that  in  the  following  of 
it  every  scholar  shall  learn  to  ''find  the  places." 
This  may  be  accomplished  by  the  use  of  some  such 
service  as  this: 

1.  Hymn  or  hymns. 

2.  The  Lord's  Prayer,  and  versicles. 

3.  One    psalm,    or  a   part   of  a   psalm,    from   the 

psalter  for  the  day. 

4.  The  lesson, — from  the  Catechism. 

5.  A  canticle,   sometimes  from   Morning   Prayer, 

sometimes  from  Evening  Prayer. 

6.  The  Creed,  and  versicles. 

7.  The  collect  for  the  day,  and  prayer. 

8.  Hymn. 

This  is  not  so  much  of  a  Service  as  to  appear  to 
make  the  Sunday-school  a  substitute  for  the  Church. 
At  the  same  time,  it  is  enough  to  give  the  children 
that  familiarity  with  the  book,  which  will  prepare 
them  to  take  an  intelligent  and  devout  part  in  the 
Church  service. 

It  is  helpful,  also,  as  a  matter  of  instruction  and 
reminder,  to  have  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism  adminis- 
tered in  the  presence  of  the  school,  several  times  a 
year,  and  to  have  the  children  follow  the  service  in 
their  books. 

Special  Services  marking  the  seasons  of  Christmas 
and  Easter  are  held  in  all   Sunday-schools ;  but  the 


94       THE   CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

number  of  days  thus  brought  happily  to  the  attention 
Special  ^f   the    children  may  easily  be    extended. 

Services.  gy  the  use  of  the  stereopticon,  picture 
services  may  be  held  on  the  evenings  of  Epiphany, 
Good  Friday,  and  Ascension  Day.  The  service 
may  begin  with  hymns  and  prayers,  and  then  the 
appropriate  pictures  may  follow  as  the  Gospel  story 
is  re- told.  Thus  on  the  evening  of  the  Epiphany, 
the  pictures  may  begin  with  the  Annunciation  and 
go  on  to  our  Lord's  visit  to  the  Temple,  when  He  was 
twelve  years  old.  On  the  evening  of  Good  Friday, 
the  pictures  may  begin  with  the  Triumphal  Entry 
into  Jerusalem  and  proceed  through  all  the  days  of 
the  Holy  Week  to  Easter.  On  the  evening  of 
Ascension  Day,  the  pictures  may  illustrate  the 
miracles  and  parables  and  other  events  of  our  Lord's 
Ministry.  Such  a  service  is  not  a  difficult  nor  an 
expensive  matter.  The  rent  of  fifty  pictures  with  a 
lantern  and  screen  and  the  attendance  of  a  man  to 
operate  them  will  not  cost  more  than  fifteen  dollars. 
The  pictures  are  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world, — 
the  great  paintings  which  men  whom  God  has  inspired 
have  made  for  the  Church,  the  treasures  of  galleries 
and  cathedrals,  the  masterpieces  of  Raphael  and 
Angelo  and  Da  Vinci ;  here  they  are  assembled  in 
any  parish  church  for  the  delight  and  instruction  of 
little  children.  The  impressive  effect  of  such  services 
is  very  great ;  the  children  recognise  and  understand 
and  appreciate  and  remember.  The  great  Christian 
Days  shine  with  a  new  light. 

The  content  of  religious  instruction  in  the  Parish 
will  be  determined  by  the  Sunday-school ;  it  will  also 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.      95 

be    determined    by    the    Congregation.        In    every 
parish,  the  Sunday-school  is  systematically  j         . 
instructed.      The   work    may  not  be  done   of  the  Con- 
very   wisely  nor    very   well,    but   in    some  ^^^^^  ^°^ 
manner  it  is  clone,  and  what  I  have  been  saying  has 
travelled  over  roads  familiar  to  you  all.      It  is   not 
enough,    however,    to    instruct    the    Sunday-school, 
there  is  imperative  need  of  the  systematic  instruction 
of  the  Congregation. 

The  Congregation  is  of  course  instructed — it  is 
to  be  hoped — in  every  parish  every  Sunday,  in  the 
sermon.  But  the  most  admiring  parishioner  can 
hardly  say,  in  many  parishes,  that  the  instruction 
thus  given  is  systematic.  Systematic  instruction 
implies  a  reasonable  and  progressive  and  visible 
purpose,  adding  precept  to  precept,  like  Generally 
the  building  of  a  house,  for  the  accomplish-  tematic. 
ment  of  a  certain  action  or  conviction  or  the  acquire- 
ment of  a  certain  knov/ledge.  It  means  that  the  ser- 
mon which  is  preached  on  Sunday  has  ,a  logical  as 
well  as  a  chronological  relation  to  the  sermon  which 
was  preached  a  week  ago.  And  that  is  a  condition 
which  is  not  realized  of  a  Sunday  morning  in  two 
pulpits  out  of  fifty  in  all  Christendom.  On  the  Sun- 
day before  last,  the  preacher  talked  about  loaves  and 
fishes ;  last  Sunday,  his  theme  was  the  Day  of  Judg- 
ment; and  here  he  comes  with  a  sermon  on  the 
doctrine  of  Inspiration.  This  is  a  rather  haphazard 
fashion  of  dealing  with  so  serious  a  matter  as  religion, 
and  its  results  are  plainly  seen  in  an  imperfectly  in- 
structed laity. 

The  people  need  systematic  instruction;   but  they 


96       THE   CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION, 

do  not  need  it  any  more  than  the  parson  needs  to 
give  it.  For  his  own  sake,  as  well  as  for  their  sake, 
preaching  ought  to  be  supplemented  by  teaching. 
For  the  life  of  the  minister  is  one  of  continual  dis- 
traction and  interruption,  whereby  actual  study  is 
made  very  difficult.  To  this  is  added  the  perplexity, 
which  arises  from  the  many-sided  character  of  the 
life  which  the  minister  lives.  There  are  twenty 
ways  in  which  he  may  spend  his  day:  how  shall  he 
choose  ?  The  result  of  this  interruption  and  per- 
plexity is  that  in  a  good  many  cases  the 
Clergy  need  iTiinister  lets  his  reading  go.  He  ceases 
systematic      to    be   a    student.      He    knows   that   there 

teaching. 

are  great  books  being  written,  which  trans- 
late the  truths  of  the  ages  into  the  language  of 
our  own  time,  but  he  knows  nothing  about  them, 
except  what  he  chances  to  read  in  a  Review.  As 
for  the  masters  of  theology  and  the  facts  of  history, 
he  has,  as  he  thinks,  no  time  for  them.  Happy  is 
he,  if  he  continues  to  read  even  his  Bible  to  any  pur- 
pose. The  chances  are  that  he  reads  more  in  the 
Bible  in  the  course  of  the  services  on  Sunday,  than 
he  read  during  the  whole  previous  week  put  together. 
It  is  inevitable  that  the  ministry  of  such  a  pastor 
and  preacher  should  suffer.  He  cannot  preach  well 
unless  he  himself  is  preached  to ;  and  he  must  find 
his  sermons  in  books.  Under  these  circumstances, 
the  conscientious  minister  will  apply  the  goad  of 
necessity.  Hcwill  compel  himself  to  read.  This 
he  will  do  by  improving  three  natural  occasions  for 
such  compulsion:  the  Confirmation  Class,  the  Mid- 
week Service,  and  the  Sunday-evening  Service.     He 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.      97 

will  decide  upon  such  subjects  for  these  occasions,  as 
will  make  it  absolutely  necessary  for  him  to  study  in 
order  to  speak  upon  them ;  and  he  will  make  his 
decision  so  public  and  irrevocable,  by  announcement 
from  the  chancel  and  in  type,  that  neither  indolence 
nor  interruption  shall  be  able  to  effect  his  escape. 

Under  these  circumstances,  for  the  good  alike  of 
minister  and  people,  what  shall  be  the  content  of 
instruction  in  the  Confirmation  Class  ? 
The  Confirmation  Class,  it  is  plain,  is  matioa 
meant  not  merely  to  prepare  young  persons  ^^^^^' 
for  Confirmation,  but  to  make  them  intelligent  citi- 
zens of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  The  intention  of 
the  instruction,  then,  will  be  to  set  forth  for  their 
learning  the  great  outlines  of  Religion :  the  things 
which  one  should  believe  and  do  in  order  to  be  a 
good  Christian.  This  must  be  done  simply  and 
briefly;  for  the  hearers  are  young  and  the  time  is 
/  short.  How  it  may  be  done  best,  everybody  must 
decide  for  himself;  every  minister  must  make  his 
own  plan.  The  essential  thing  is  that  there  be  a 
plan,  that  it  be  a  large  one,  which  shall  make  a 
considerable  demand  upon  both  teacher  and  taught, 
and  that  it  be  announced  and  maintained. 

Such  a  plan,  however  made,  will  have  a  certain 
invariable    content.      The  order    and  the  treatment 
will  differ,  but  the  things  to  be  taught  will  be  about 
the  same  everywhere.      Every  pastor  will 
teach  his   people    who    are    preparing;    for  Content  of 

^       r  •  r  •       Confirmation 

Confirmation  what  Confirmation  is,  what  is  lectvires. 

implied  in  the   Commandments,   what   the 

Creed  means,  what  is  intended  in  the  Creed  by  the 


9^       THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

phrase  "the  holy  Cathohc  Church,"  how  to  pray, 
and  how  to  come  aright  to  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper.  Setting  down  these  matters,  then, 
in  order,  and  making  six  lectures  out  of  them, — or 
twelve,  if  the  conditions  permit,  by  subdivision, — 
we  have  such  an  exhibit  of  the  content  of  Confirma- 
tion instruction  as  this: 

First  lecture: 

1.  Baptism. 

2.  Confirmation. 

Second  lecture : 

1 .  Character. 

2.  Commandments. 

Third  lecture: 

1.  The  Creed  (general). 

2.  The  Creed  (particular). 

Fourth  lecture: 

1.  The  Church. 

2.  The  Churchman. 

Fifth  lecture: 

1.  The  Lord's  Prayer. 

2.  The  Prayer-book. 

Sixth  lecture: 

1 .  The  Holy  Communion. 

2.  The  Communion  Service. 

The  Mid-week  Service  is  the  young  minister's 
experiment  station.  Here  he  tries  his  various 
schemes  upon  the  saints,  and  finds  out  whether  they 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.      99 

will    work.       The     saints  will    not    mind    it;     they 
come  to  church  in  the  middle  of  the  week  because 
they  are   good  Christians,  and   the   young 
minister's  failures  will  not  drive  them  away,    week  Ser- 
When,  by  some  happy  fortune,  the  experi- 
ment succeeds,  some  other  persons  will  be  added  to 
the  little  company.      And  in  the  mean  time,  whether 
anybody  else   gets   anything   out   of  it   or   not,   the 
young  minister  gets  much.      It  is  likely  that  after  an 
extended  series  of  experiments,  he  will  settle  down 
to  a  regular  instruction  in  Holy  Scripture  from  which 
he  will  not  lightly  depart.      He  will  make  the  Mid- 
week Service  his  goad  of  necessity  for  the  definite 
and  genuine  study  of  the  Bible. 

He  may  so  arrange  the  lessons  as  to  go  along  with 
the  Sunday-school,  thus  attracting  the  teachers; 
taking  the  History  of  the  Jewish  Church,  with 
Stanley;  and  the  Life  of  our  Lord,  with  Edersheim; 
and  the  Apostolic  Church,  with  Farrar;  and  the 
Messages  of  the  Books,  with  Professor  Sanders  and 
Professor  Kent.  Or  he  may  take  certain  great 
books,  and  read  them  :o  his  people,  with  comment; 
as  Isaiah,  interpreted  by  George  Adam  Smith.  Or 
he  may  take  the  Biography  of  the  Bible,  and  draw 
out  the  lessons  taught  by  the  lives  of  its  men  and 
women;  or  the  Geography  of  the  Bible,  for  the  sake 
of  making  the  events  and  the  people  more  distinct 
and  alive  against  the  background. 

It  is  plain  that  such  a  course  of  study,  persevered 
in,  will  enrich  both  the  preacher  and  his  people.  It 
will  illuminate  the  lessons  which  are  read  in  Church, 
so  that  the  hearer  and  the  reader  shall  find  a  message 


loo    THE   CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

from  God  in  much  which  seems  at  present  to  mean 
nothing.  It  will  give  suggestions  for  new  sermons, 
and  give  the  congregation  a  new  understanding  and  a 
new  interest.  It  will  make  the  Bible  a  new  book,  and 
bless  the  parish  which  comes  thus  into  possession  of  it. 
There  remains  a  third  occasion,  which  the  minister 
may  employ,  if  he  will,  for  the  shaping  of  his  own 
study  and  for  the  systematic  instruction  of 

The  Sunday-  "^  ,  ^,  .        i        r-        i 

evening         the  people.      That  is  the   Sunday-evenmg 

Service.  Service.  The  Sunday-evening  Service  is 
the  parson's  perplexity.  What  shall  he  do  with  it  ? 
He  may  do  either  one  of  two  things :  he  may  preach 
the  gospel  in  the  old  way,  with  a  text  and  a  written 
sermon  ;  or  he  may  preach  the  gospel  in  a  new  way, 
without  a  text,  and  with  a  lecture  in  the  place  of  a 
sermon.  If  he  chooses  to  abide  in  the  old  way,  he 
will  have  a  small  congregation  of  exceedingly 
respectable  people,  most  of  whom  know  more  about 
the  Christian  religion  than  he  does ;  and  his  sermon 
will  be  either  an  old  one  or  a  rather  poor  new  one: 
for  it  is  not  in  human  nature  to  go  on  week  after 
week  writing  two  good  sermons.  To  write  even 
one  good  one  is  for  most  of  us  a  tremendous  under- 
taking, and  we  miss  the  mark  a  good  many  times; 
but  two  good  ones  is  out  of  our  reach  altogether. 

Suppose  that  the  preacher  stops  trying  to  do  that. 
Suppose  that  at  his  second  Sunday  Service    he  gives 

up  his  paper  and  his  text,  and  speaks  in- 
Systematic  formally,  following  a  line  of  topics  which 
plan.  he    has  announced    to  the     congregation. 

His  first  purpose  is  interest:  he  wants 
to  get  a  congregation.      His  second  purpose  is  in- 


THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION-    loi 

struction :  he  would  teach  himself  and  them.  His 
third  purpose  is  conviction :  he  would  bring  his 
hearers  close  to  the  spirit  and  power  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Not  one  of  these  three  purposes  can  be  omitted,  but 
they  will  stand  thus  in  the  order  of  impression.  The 
congregation  will  come,  because  what  the  preacher 
says  interests  them;  they  will  come,  because  what  is 
said  instructs  them ;  and  they  will  speedily  discover 
that  the  interest  is  not  for  its  own  sake,  and  the  in- 
struction is  not  for  its  own  sake,  but  that  throughout 
the  preacher  speaks,  no  matter  what  his  subject  be, 
as  a  man  of  God,  having  for  his  supreme  endeavour 
the  bringing  of  the  lives  of  men  into  the  obedience 
and  love  of  God. 

Suppose  that  in  this  spirit  there  be  given  every 
year  a  course  of  instruction  in  the  History  of  the 
Church, — a  series  of  six  or  eight  lectures,  perhaps  in 
Lent,  taking  era  after  era,  year  by  year.      Thus: 

1.  The  First  Six  Centuries. 

2.  The  Middle  Ages. 

3.  The  Reformation  on  the  Continent. 

4.  The  Reformation  in  England.  A  suggested 

5.  The  Puritan  Revolution.  ^^'^^^^' 

6.  The  Evangelical  Revival. 

7.  The  Oxford  Movement. 

8.  The  Church  in  America. 

It  is  a  history  as  full  of  God  as  the  Old  Testament, 
whose  saints  are  as  high  examples  as  the  patriarchs, 
whose  preachers  are  as  eloquent  as  the  prophets,  and 
in  whose  mighty  movement  the  arm  of  the  Lord  is 
made  as  plain,  as  in  any  era  of  the  ancient  people. 
It    ought    to    be    made    available    for    doctrine,    for 


102     THE  CONTENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteous- 
ness. 

There  is  no  end  to  the  content  of  religious  instruc- 
tion, profitable  to  the  Sunday-evening  congregation. 
The  preacher  may  occupy  all  the  chairs  of  the 
theological  school  in  turn.  He  may  be  professor  of 
liturgies,  of  Biblical  literature,  of  Biblical  theology, 
of  systematic  divinity,  of  ethics.  And  the  congre- 
gation will  grow,  and  the  preacher  will  grow. 

Thus  in  the  Sunday-school  and  in  the  Congrega- 
tion, by  the  Catechism,  by  the  Bible,  by  the  Prayer- 
book,  and  by  the  History  of  the  Church,  shall  be 
attained,  God  helping  us,  the  end  for  which  all  the 
whole  content  of  religious  instruction  is  intended, 
the  upbuilding  of  Christian  character,  the  training  of 
Christian  Churchmanship. 


V. 


THE      SUNDAY-SCHOOL     AND     ITS 
COURSE  OF  STUDY. 

By  the  Reverend  Pascal  Harrower  Chairman  of  the  Sun- 
day-school Commission,  Diocese  of  New  York. 


SYNOPSIS  OF  LECTURE  V. 

The   principle  underlying  the   present  Course  of  Lectures.     Church- 
school.     Sunday-school. 
Education  one  of  the  most  important  subjects. 
The  object  of  the  Church-school. 

What  the  school  represents  in  the  history  of  civilization. 
The  approach  to  the  subject  on  its  historical  side. 

The  child  the  pivot  of  society. 

The  Jewish  estimate  of  childhood. 

Christ  and  the  child. 

The  early  Church  and  its  ministry  to  children. 

The  mutual  relations  of  preaching  and  teaching. 
Trumbull's  Lectures. 
Martin  Luther. 
Archbishop  Dupanloup. 

The  ministry  of  catechizing. 

Pedagogical  training  the  need  of  the  modern  Ministry. 
The  preparation  of  a  Course  of  Study  not  a  simple  matter. 

Questions  involved  in  it. 

Church- school  not  exclusively  a  Bible  School. 

Curriculum  a  problem  to  be  studied  by  trained  educators. 

The  Subject-matter,  or  Lesson  Material. 

1.  The  Church  Catechism. 

Errors  in  teaching-method,  not  in  the  matter  taught. 

2.  The  Bible. 

The  International  Series  of  Sunday-school  Lessons. 

The  Bible  crowding  out  the  Catechism. 

Defects  of  this  and  similar  schemes. 

What  the  Bible  is  and  is  not. 

President  Hadley  on  Bible  Study. 

Its  educational  value. 

The  Bible  in  American  colleges. 

Recommendations  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education. 

Moral  value  of  the  literary  study  of  the  Bible. 

The  bearing  of  these  on  the  Bible  in  the  Church-school. 

The  method  of  Jesus. 

3.  Nature-study  in  the  Church-school. 

4.  Sacred  Geography. 

5.  History. 

6.  Christian  Ethics. 

The  contemporary  Christ. 
The  first  contact  of  youth  with  the  world. 
The  responsibility  of  the  Church. 
Conclusion. 

The   Church  must   call  to  her  assistance  those  who  have  been 
trained  in  matters  of  Education. 


THE    SUNDAY-SCHOOL   AND   ITS    COURSE 

OF    STUDY. 

The  principle  underlying  this  course  of  lectures  is 
that  the  Sunday-school,  or  rather  let  us  call  it,  the 
Church-school,  is  an  educational  institution.  Its 
problems  are  educational  problems,  its  work  is  edu- 
cational, it  deals  with  minds  that  lie  in  the  educational 
or  school  period  of  life.  What  theories  we  may 
indulge  in  as  to  material  and  form  of  lessons,  the 
arrangement  and  details  of  management,  the  quali- 
fications and  work  of  teachers,  these  are  subordinate 
to  the  one  fact  that  the  Church-school  is  a  School. 
It  is  subject  to  the  same  laws  as  govern  school  work 
elsewhere.  As  these  are  or  are  not  clearly  appre- 
hended and  applied,  the  school  succeeds  or  fails. 

The  question  of  education  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant that  can  engage  our  minds.  The  modern 
system   is  a  very  comprehensive  one.      It 

,  ,  ^        ,  .      ,  A  -     Education. 

covers  a  large  number  oi  subjects.  Apart 
from  the  actual  and  available  knowledge  it  gives  to 
fit  men  for  the  various  duties  of  their  professional  and 
business  careers,  there  is  another  result  that  must  also 
follow  from  it,  before  we  can  call  it  truly  successful, 
and  that  is  the  character  it  produces.  Something 
fine  and  strong  in  character  must  be  the  last  test  of 

105 


io6     THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL-ITS   COURSE  OF  STUDY. 

education.  Coming  to  the  particular  question  of 
religious  education,  so  far  as  that  is  involved  in  the 
Sunday-school,  it  is  a  question  of  the  deepest  interest 
whether  the  methods  commonly  in  use  have  produced 
the  result  we  have  a  right  to  expect.  It  should  fit 
men  for  the  duties  of  life.  It  should  ground  them 
firmly  in  certain  truths,  and  make  these  part  of  their 
very  character  and  common  knowledge,  before  they 
can  become  a  permanent  factor  in  their  lives. 

Now  the  only  way  by  which  this  can  be  accom- 
plished is  by  school  training.  ' '  There  are  two 
Th  Chiir  h  Churches, "  to  use  a  phrase  of  Principal 
and  the  Salmond's,  "  the  Church  of  to-day  and  the 

school.  Church    of   to-morrow."       For    the    older 

ones,  who  are  bearing  the  burdens  and  doing  the  work 
of  to-day,  the  Church  provides  her  Sacraments  and 
Services,  but  for  the  children,  who  are  the  Church 
of  to-morrow,  the  school  must  do  the  main  and  im- 
portant work.  We  are  not  to  overlook  the  home, 
and  the  many  other  sources  of  influence  in  the  social 
environment  of  the  child.  But  it  still  remains  that 
education  implies  careful  and  regular  instruction. 
The  school,  in  whatever  form  it  may  have  existed 
from  age  to  age,  however  crude  its  nature,  represents 
the  effort  to  put  the  child  in  possession  of  himself 
and  in  possession  of  the  world  about  him.  It  was 
there  that  he  became  part  of  the  race,  and  imbibed 
the  ideas  and  truths,  political  or  social  or  religious, 
that  made  his  manhood  what  it  was.  When  we 
speak,  therefore,  of  the  Church-school,  we  are  not 
thinking  of  a  haphazard  gathering  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing, to  read  a  few  verses  from  the  Bible,  and  join  in 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY-    107 

the  somewhat  confused,  yet  sacred,  duties  of  the 
hour.  We  are  really  guilty  of  using  a  misnomer, 
when  we  call  such  a  gathering  a  "  school.  "  It  lacks 
definite  and  intelligent  organization,  it  follows  no 
clear  method  of  work,  its  course  of  study  is  restricted 
and  lacks  both  breadth  of  subject  and  progressive 
movement  of  truth,  and  fits  nowhere  into  the  natural 
development  of  the  child.  There  can  be,  therefore, 
no  more  important  work  undertaken  by  the  Church 
than  to  meet  this  question  of  religious  instruction, 
and  order  it  upon  tlie  best  and  surest  foundation 
possible. 

I.  First,  let  us  approach  our  subject  on  its  histori- 
cal sicie.  We  commonly  place  the  origin  of  the 
Sunday-school  some  hundred  or  more  years  m.  ,  ■  x  r 
back.  But  in  its  essential  relation  to  the  the  Church- 
child,  it  is  in  reality  as  ancient  as  religion. 
From  the  beginnings  of  human  life,  the  child  has  been 
the  pivot  on  which  history  and  institutions  and 
religion  swung.  It  is  important  to  keep  this  in  mind 
because  it  determines  largely  the  significance  of  the 
School  in  the  economy  of  the  Church.  If  it  be 
something  irrelevant  to  the  Church,  something 
merely  annexed  to  it,  a  rather  questionable  and  per- 
haps impertinent  intrusion  upon  its  life,  then  wc  may 
dismiss  it,  with  its  disorganized  mass  of  ill-trained  and 
misdirected  effort,  as  something  that  has  no  claim 
upon  our  respect. 

On  the  contrary,  no  department  of  modern  Church 
work  has  the  authority  of  a  more  venerable  tradition. 
Without  dwelling  upon  ancient  Jewish  history,  we 
need  go  no  further  than  to  refer  to  that  profound  inter- 


io8    THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL- ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY. 

est  in  childhood  which  underlay  the  whole  structure 
Th  J  wish  of  Jewish  civilization.  Coming  down  to  the 
estimate  of  age  of  Jesus,  we  find  that  the  religious  in- 
struction of  children  commanded  the  most 
serious  interest.  Every  synagogue  had  attached  to 
it  one  of  these  schools.  Later  on,  in  the  various 
provinces,  and  wherever  Jewish  colonies  were  estab- 
lished, schoolmasters  were  appointed,  who  should 
take  charge  of  all  boys  from  six  or  seven  years  of 
age.  These  schools  were  one  of  the  most  impressive 
features  of  their  national  life.  They  were  regarded 
as  fundamental  to  the  very  perpetuation  of  the  race. 

We  are  living  in  an  age,  happily,  when  child-study 
is  coming  to  the  front  in  all  systems  of  teaching. 
But  we  cannot  overlook  the  fact  that  the  Jewish 
people  based  their  whole  structure  of  life  upon  the 
child  and  his  teaching.  And  this  work  was  also 
based  upon  a  love  for  the  child  of  the  deepest  and 
most  beautiful  character.  Child-life  was  holy  to 
Jewish  thought.  When  our  Lord,  speaking  of  chil- 
dren, said:  *'  Their  angels  do  always  behold  the  face 
of  My  Father  which  is  in  Heaven,"  He  was  ex- 
pressing the  true  Jewish  estimate  of  childhood. 

As  Christianity  passed  out  on  its  mission,  it  carried 
this  noble  estimate  of  childhood,  enriched  with  the 
rhidh  1  ■  peculiarly  strong  and  tender  authority  of 
tiie  Early       the    Holy   Childhood.       There    are    forces 

^^^  '  stronger  than  laws.     It  would  have  required 

a  wrench,  more  violent  than  we  can  easily  express, 
for  the  Christian  Church  to  have  broken  with  this  old 
thought  of  the  child.  This  it  is  that  explains  the 
pervading  presence  of  childhood  through   the  New 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY.    109 

Testament.  Everywhere  we  meet  it.  We  are  never 
left  long-  without  the  sound  of  the  children.  They 
move  ever  through  the  story  of  the  Apostolic  Age 
with  the  benediction  of  the  Christ-Child  upon  them. 

The  early  Church,  true  to  this  instinct,  went  at 
once  to  the  childhood  of  the  Empire.  She  gathered 
them,  in  every  possible  way,  into  her  schools.  One 
of  the  charges  made  by  Celsus  against  Origen  was 
that  Christians  carried  on  their  most  powerful  and 
insidious  propaganda,  through  the  children  whom 
they  lured  into  their  schools.  Origen  allowed  the 
charge,  but  claimed  that  the  teachings  of  Christianity 
were  directly  favourable  to  the  child's  welfare  and 
would  promote  reverence  for,  and  service  of,  parents. 
The  early  Church  "  made  the  school  the  connecting 
link  between  herself  and  the  world. ' '  When  the 
Emperor  Julian  *•  determined  to  take  the  control  of 
education  into  the  hands  of  the  state,"  he  declared 
that  unless  he  could  arrest  the  movement  of  the 
Church  in  the  school,  the  progress  and  triumph  of 
Christianity  were  inevitable.  In  his  "Yale  Lectures 
on  the  Sunday-school,"  to  which  I  am  here  TrumbuH's 
":lad  to  make  my  deep  acknowledj^ment,    '  YaleLec- 

^  ,  11-         tares  on  the 

Dr.  Trumbull  has  carefulh'  traced  the  his-   Sunday- 
tory  and  progress  of  this  great  educational   ^^  °° ' 
work,  a  work  which  only  reveals  its  larger  dignity 
and   importance    as   we    come    thus    into    the    fuller 
knowledge  of  its  facts. 

We  are  accustomed  to  attach  special  importance 
to  the  work  of  preaching  in  the  propagation  of  the 
Christian  faith.  But  while  allowing  the  fullest  recog- 
nition of  its  value  and  place  in  the  Church,  it  remains 


no    THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL-  ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY. 

true  that  the  woof  and  web  of  Christian  character  and 

faith    are    wrought  out  during  the  school 
Preaching 
and  teach-      period  of  Hfe.       Ideas  cannot  become  the 

^°^'  permanent   possession  of  the  world,  which 

do  not  first  enter  through  the  door  of  childhood. 
When  Luther  had  brought  about  the  Reformation  in 
Germany,  he  at  once  saw  the  necessity  of  the  Church- 
school.  "  Young  children  and  scholars  are  the  seed 
and  source  of  the  Church,"  was  the  way  he  echoed 
the  familiar  proverbs  of  the  old  Rabbis. 

But  Luther  took  St.  Paul's  position,  and  claimed 

that  aptness  to  teach  was  a  pre-requisite  for  the  work 

of  the    ministry.       "I    would,"    said    he, 

Lntherand      i  ^  ^\^^^    nobody    should    be     chosen     as     a 

St.  Paul,  •' 

minister,  if  he  were  not  before  this  a  school- 
master. ' '  So  deeply  did  he  estimate  the  need  of  this 
that  he  followed  up  his  work  of  preaching  with  the 
publication  of  two  catechisms  which  he  prepared  for 
the  instruction  of  children. 

Let   me   also   call  attention  to  the   movement   in 
France,  within  our  own  century,  led  by  Dupanloup, 

the  illustrious  Archbishop  of  Orleans.  He 
Dnpanlonp  tells  US  how  France  had  suffered  from  the 
catecMsts!^^    decay  of  faith  in  the  last  century,  and  how, 

in  his  own  diocese,  he  had  found  the  clergy 
not  only  indifferent  themselves,  but  also  totally  in- 
capable of  teaching  their  children.  To  meet  this  he 
instituted  conferences,  and  began  his  great  pedagogi- 
cal work  of  training  them  in  the  art  of  catechizing. 
The  hope  of  France  lay  in  the  catechism,  the  school- 
ing of  the  children,  and  he  cited  with  eloquent  words 
the  example  and  work  of  those  great  catechists  of 


THE   SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS    COURSE   OF  STUDY,    m 

the  Church  who  had  devoted  themselves  to  the  per- 
sonal instruction  of  the  young :  such  men  as  St. 
Charles  Borromeo,  who  instituted  the  Confraternity 
of  Christian  Teaching  in  Milan,  of  the  illustrious  Jean 
Gerson,  Chancellor  of  the  University  of  Paris,  who 
in  his  old  age  held  the  catechism  for  children  in  the 
Church  of  St.  Paul  at  Lyon ;  of  Abbe  Fenelon  and 
Bossuet,  and  Borderies,  Bishop  of  Versailles,  who 
began  his  work  as  a  catechist  of  the  Church  of  the 
Madeleine. 

The  significance  of  these  facts  is  most  important. 
In  nothing  is  the  Ministry  of  the  Church  so  poorly 

equipped  as  for  this  work  of  relip"ious  in- 
^         .  ^1       r  .  r    1  1         •      Need  of  the 

struction.      i  he  lunction  oi  the  preacher  is   Ministry  in 
important,  but  the  function  of  the  teacher  the  present 
is  of  even  deeper  importance.      The  Church 
does  not  prepare  her  clergy  for  this  work,  and  yet  in 
theory  she  makes  them  primarily  responsible  for  it. 
Yet  nothing  w^ould  so  richly  enhance  the  power  of 
the  Christian  pulpit,  and  deepen  the  influence  of  the 
Ministry,  as  the  thorough  training  in  the  art  of  teach- 
ing to  which  Luther  referred,   and  which  the  very 
conditions  of  the  present  age  so  imperatively  demand. 
Until  this  has  been  done,  and  the  Church  grasps  the 
importance  of  the  pedagogical  training  of  her  minis- 
try, we  cannot  expect  her  to  give  her  children  that 
religious  training,  which  alone  can  secure  her  proper 
influence  upon  the  life  of  the  nation. 

IL  The  preparation  of  a  course  of  study  for  the 
Church-school  would  at  first  seem  to  be  a  very 
simple  matter.  It  depends  primarily,  of  course,  upon 
the  study-material  appropriate  to  such  a  school.      If 


112    THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS  COURSE   OF  STUDY, 

it  is  first  and  only  a  Bible  School,  then  it  can  admit 

only  the  Bible    into  its    curriculum.       Its 

Questions       lessons  will  be  taken  from  the  Bible,  and 

involved  in 

a  curriculum,  all  things  will  converge  upon  that  text- 
book. Even  in  this  case,  there  must  be 
exercised  the  highest  possible  wisdom  to  arrange 
and  edit  the  subject-matter  of  instruction  in  accord- 
ance with  approved  educational  principles.  But  the 
Church  School  is  something  more  than  a  Bible- 
school.  It  is  a  school  of  Christian  knowledge,  and 
must  gather  into  its  course  of  study  more  than  the 
content  of  the  Bible.  So  far  as  may  be,  this  course 
must  give  to  childhood  and  youth  the  largest  possi- 
ble knowledge  of  the  principles  of  religion.  What 
religion  is,  what  it  has  done  for  man,  what  it  proposes 
to  do,  all  the  naturalness  and  truth  of  it,  how  it  fits 
into  the  young  heart  of  life,  how  all  its  wonderful 
experiences  lie  wrapped  up  in  the  soul  and  mind  of 
the  child, — this  is  what  a  man  should  learn  in  the 
school  days  of  his  life. 

Now  the  arrangement  of  the  subjects  involved  in 

such  a  curriculum  as  this  is  no  slight  task.      It  will 

certainly  require  as  careful   consideration, 

Curriculum  , 

a  problem       ^s  broad  and  thorough  knowledge  ot  the 
for  trained      child,    as   are    involved   in    the    matter    of 

educators. 

secular  education.  We  are  not  to  consider 
such  a  question  already  settled  by  past  experience. 
Nothing  could  more  fairly  command  the  attention 
and  study  of  our  wisest  educators.  And  it  cannot 
be  expected  that  the  Church  can  properly  solve  this 
question  until  she  has  called  to  her  aid  those  who 
are  qualified  experts  in  matters  of  education. 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY-    113 

Let  me  now  ask  you  to  consider  the  subject-matter 
of  such  a  reHgious  education  as  the  Church  should 
give  her  children.  We  are  not  now  speaking  of  the 
arrangement  of  these  subjects  in  curriculum.  That 
is  a  matter  that  must  follow  the  selection  of  subjects 
to  be  taught. 

I.    If  we  start  at  the  point  of  view  of  the  Church, 
as  expressed  in  her  Baptismal  formula,  we  shall  con- 
sider the   child   as  from  that  moment  the 
declared  member  of  a  divine  family.     That  catecMsm. 
family  is  based  upon  certain  truths.      It  has 
a  certain  history  in  the  past,  a  certain  life  with  its 
traditions,  its  usages  and  customs  and  ideals.      It  is 
a  family,   with  its   laws  of  fellowship,   with  an  im- 
memorial faith  that  has  been  from  age  to  age  wrought 
into  clearer  shape  and  structure  through  the  experi- 
ences of  innumerable  souls.     The  ground  of  this  faith 
is  unchangeable,  its  perpetuation  is  assured,  because 
it  represents  in  the  last  analysis  of  its  principles  the 
essential  experience  of  man  as  man. 

This  is  the  fact  that  determines  the  place  which 
the  Church  Catechism  occupies  in  the  training  of  the 
child.  If  we  read  it,  with  this  in  mind,  we  shall  find 
its  value  unique.  It  is  most  guardedly  free  from  the 
subtleties  of  definition.  It  give  us  statements  of  truth 
in  the  form  of  statements  of  fact.  It  has  a  statuesque 
simplicity.  It  sets  forth  the  truths  of  religion  in 
figure,  so  to  speak,  as  things  seen  and  tangible  to  the 
senses,  rather  than  as  speculations  of  the  mind. 

There  have  been  many  grave  errors  committed  in 
teaching  the  catechism,  and  often  no  doubt  the  child 
has  acquired  nothing  beyond  a  parrot-like  repetition 


114    THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL- ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY. 

of  words.     Yet  on  the  other  hand,  this    result   Hes 

rather  in  the  method  of  teaching  than  in 

te™hiiip.        ^^^  matter  taught.      A  certain  httle  lad  had 

been   taught  to  define   the   mystery  of  the 

Trinity,  and  had  in  vain  cudgelled  his  brain  with  the 

strangely    meaningless     words.       One     day    in    the 

country  he  was  watching  the  men  stowing  hay  in  the 

barn-loft.      Suddenly   he    saw   three    doors   opening 

here   and  there   into   the   huge  black   interior,  each 

separate,  yet  each  a  door  opening  into  the  one  great 

structure.      It  is   needless  to  say  that  the  boy  had 

solved  to  his   own   satisfaction   the   doctrine  of  the 

Trinity.      He  had  found  his  own  point  of  view,  and 

the  truth  had  at  last  swung  into  his  vision. 

Bishop  Brooks  once  said  to  the  students  of  Yale 

University   in    his    *  *  Lectures   on    Preaching  ' '    that 

there  was  no  truth  too  e^reat  and  deep  for 
Bishop  .  ^  ^ 

Brooks  on       them  to  preach,  if  they  would  only  preach 

Preaching.      j|-       That  is  the  divine  art  of  the  teacher 

also,  the  art  of  getting  truth  within  view  of  the  child, 

finding,  as  Mr.  Patterson  Du  Bois  tells  us,  the  point 

of  contact  where  the  child  and  the  truth  touch  each 

other.    We  need  not  fear  to  teach  Christian  doctrine, 

if  we  only  teach  it. 

2.   Again,  such  a  course  of  study  must  teach  the 

Bible.      But  let  us  distinguish  carefully  between  the 

Bible    as     a    wonderful     library,    efathered 
The  Bible.         ,  ,  .  , 

through  many  centuries,  with  its  epics  and 

histories,  its  dramas  and  poems,  its  proverbs,  idyls, 

and  stories,  carrying  us  onward  through  the  eventful 

life  of  a  great  race, — between  this   and  the   Bible  as 

a   text-book.      I   would    not  speak   a  word    in    dis- 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL-ITS   COURSE  OF  STUDY-    115 

paragement  of  the  very  remarkable  work,  done  dur- 
ing the  last  thirty  years  in  the  interest  of  rj^j^^  ^^^^^_ 
the  International  or  Uniform  Series  of  national 
Sunday-school  Lessons.  He  would  indeed 
be  ignorant  of  the  facts,  who  should  deny  that  that 
series  of  lessons  has  rendered  great  service  in  the 
cause  of  religion.  It  has  called  attention  to  the  Bible 
as  never  before.  "It  has,"  to  use  the  words  of 
Dr.  Vincent,  whose  name  commands  the  reverence 
of  all  who  would  serve  the  childhood  of  the  Church, 
—  *'  it  has  driven  teachers  to  the  study  of  educational 
principles  and  examples ;  it  has  led  to  general 
schemes  and  outlines  of  Bible  study;  has  increased 
the  intellectual  power  of  plain  men  in  the  Church ; 
has  led  young  and  scholarly  men  to  appreciate  the 
higher  intellectual  standards,  and  has  tended  to 
connect  Biblical  and  scientific  study.  The  one  great 
Text-book  has  thus  increased  the  power,  the  teach- 
ing power  of  our  Sunday-schools. ' '  Such  a  testimony 
from  such  a  source  is  not  lightly  to  be  dismissed. 
"But,"  and  we  quote  again,  "it  is  possible  that 
enthusiasm  in  such  a  scheme  as  the  Inter-   „,    ^., , 

The  Bible 

national  may  have  to  some  extent  crowded  excluding 
back  some  exercises  which  hitherto  found  ^^^^^^^^s"^- 
large  place  in  the  Sunday-school.  So  much  regular 
Bible  study  may  have  had  this  effect.  The  historical 
method  of  studying  history  may  have  left  too  little 
time  for  verbal  memorizing.  The  Bible  may  have 
taken  the  place  of  the  Catechism."  ^ 

It  is  sufficiently  clear  from  these  words  that  the 

**'The   Modern  Sunday-school,"  pp.  252-3.     The  Rev.  John  H, 
Vincent,  D.D. 


ti6   THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS  COURSE  OF  STUDY. 

methods  of  Bible  study  so  commonly  followed  in 
Sunday-schools  during  the  past  generation  have  not 
proved  altogether  wise  or  successful.  The  Bible  is 
not  a  book  to  be  used  in  this  way.  It  does  not  lend 
itself  to  the  principles  of  the  uniform  lesson.  Lessons 
favourable  to  the  adult  student  are  not  necessarily 
useful  for  the  child.  There  is  no  known  law  of 
education,  by  which  a  series  of  lessons  can  be  selected 
from  the  Book  of  Psalms,  or  the  Prophecies  of  Isaiah 
or  Jeremiah,  which  can  be  equally  useful  in  all  grades 
of  a  Church-school. 

The  Bible  is  a  vast  storehouse  of  historic  and 
literary  and  spiritual  wealth.  It  has  something  of 
"What  the  ^^^^^  infinite  variety  that  meets  us  in  Nature. 
Bible  is.  It  is  pre  eminently  a  book  created  out  of 
human  life.  It  reflects  everywhere  this  life,  with  its 
ceaseless  change,  its  exhaustless  variety  of  experi- 
ence, its  deep  undertones  of  mystery  and  sorrow, 
the  tragedies  and  sins  and  toils  of  men,  the  play  and 
interplay  of  souls,  the  sweep  of  empires,  the  rise 
and  growth  and  fall  of  nations.  Such  a  Book  cannot 
be  measured  off  and  divided  by  hard-and-fast  rules 
into  uniform  lessons,  without  two  results:  first,  a 
faulty  and  forced  interpretation  of  its  selected 
passages,  and  second,  a  superficial  and  unworthy 
conception  of  the  Book  as  a  whole.  Yet,  on  the 
other  hand,  we  cannot  teach  religion  without  the 
Bible,  just  as  we  cannot  teach  music  without  the 
works  of  the  great  masters. 

Speaking  of  the  value  of  the  Classics  in  secular 
education,  President  Hadley  of  Yale  University  has 
recently  pointed  out  the  fact  that  their  moral  value 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS   COURSE  OF  STUDY,    n? 

lies  in  the  remoteness  of  the  standards  which  they 
set  before  the  student.      They  Hft  before  the   ^j    .,    , 

■^  rresident 

modern  age  standards  which  are  not  affect-  Hadleyon 
ed  by  the  shifting  ideas  and  standards  of  *  ^  ^  ^' 
the  present.  "  The  morahty  which  ripens  in  such  a 
soil  may  be  fantastic;  but  it  is  powerful,  it  is  dis- 
interested, and  it  leads  the  boys  outside  of  themselves, 
.  .  .  and  nothing  in  secular  education  has  been  found 
to  take  the  place  of  this  classical  background  as  a 
means  of  stimulating  the  growth  of  such  a  spirit." 
And  then  he  adds  these  words :  '  *  77/^  Jh'Hc  is  in 
Diany  ways  like  the  Classics,  in  possessing  this  sort 
of  moral  influence  upon  t  J  Lose  zvJio  study  it;  and  in 
some  respects,  of  course,  it  far  exceeds  tJiem  in  tJie 
intensity  of  its  workings. 

Now  right  here  is  the  point  I  desire  to  emphasize, 
that  such  a  conception  of  the  Bible  recognises  its 
singular  and  wonderful  value  to  education  Educational 
as  education.      It  has  too   generally  been   value  of 

•  J         J          -n       1         1  1  the  Biblei 

considered  a  l30ok  whose   proper   use  lay 

in  its  presenting  a  certain  raw  material  for  the  con- 
struction of  theological  .systems.  Men  have  claimed 
for  its  widely  separated  writings  an  artificial  unity, 
which  has  been  the  creation  of  their  imagination, 
rather  than  the  note  of  its  own  inner  life.  The  Bible 
is  not  to  be  so  treated.  It  is  not  a  storehouse  of 
texts,  which  one  uses  by  means  of  concordance  and 
reference  words  to  create  altogether  fantastic  systems 
of  belief.  Rather,  the  Bible  is  so  entirely  the  Book 
of  Religion,  that  we  cannot  get  its  true  meaning  unless 
we  study  it  book  by  book,  and,  if  I  may  say  so,  set 
aside   largely  the  sort  of  study  of  it  which  has  been 


iiS   THE  SUMDAY-SCHOOL—ITS   COURSE  OF  STUDY. 

so  common  in  the  past,  and  which  must  prove  largely 
inadequate  to  the  deeper  knowledge  of  it  as  the  Book 
of  Religion.  There  is  a  unity  in  it  deeper  than 
that  of  separated  texts,  a  unity  of  spirit  and  soul, 
the  unity  of  a  great  race,  finding  through  a  thou- 
sand years  and  more  the  ever-deepening  knowledge 
of  itself  and  its  God. 

At  this  point,  allow  me  to  call  attention  to  the 
suggestions  made  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of 
United  States  Education,  for  the  study  of  the  Bible  in 
Bureau  of  American  colleges.  In  reviewing  the 
general  situation,  the  report  observes  that 
* '  the  history  and  literature  of  the  Hebrews  and  the 
Jews  may  and  should  be  studied  as  other  history  and 
literature  are  studied.  The  peculiar  religious  element 
need  not  be  dealt  with,  and  modern  sectarianism  is 
not  found  in  the  Bible.  Such  a  large  and  influential 
portion  of  universal  history  and  literature  should  not 
be  ignored  or  left  to  chance  instruction."  The 
following  are  some  of  the  suggestions  made : 
c,        ,.  "I.    The    aim    should    be    some    Bible 

Suggestions 

forBiWe  work  in  every  college  in  the  country,  state 
^  ^  ^'  institutions  included. 

''  2.  Bible  study  should  be  conducted  in  the  best 
modern  way,  with  the  use  of  the  best  books,  and 
with  the  most  skilful  teachers  obtainable.  It  is  im- 
portant that  the  colleges  understand  that  modern 
methods  and  radical  higher  criticism  are  not  synony- 
mous. 

''3.  The  college  Bible  course  should  be  so  free 
from  avowed  and  direct  devotional  aims  that  the 
teacher   can   demand   as   thorough  work  as   in  any 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL-ITS   COURSE  OF  STUDY.    119 

college  course.      Bible  study  will  then  take  its  place 
as  a  worthy  part  of  the  college  curriculum. 

**4.  The  assignment  of  the  systematic  curriculum 
work  to  a  trained  specialist  should  not  and  will  not  in- 
terfere with  extra-curriculum  devotional  Bible  classes. 

"5.  It  w^ould  seem  a  natural  outcome  of  the  care- 
ful differentiation  of  devotional  study  of  the  Bible 
from  the  curriculum  study,  which  has  been  recom- 
mended above,  that  an  important  objection  to  the 
requirement  of  Bible  study  from  college  students  dis- 
appears, viz.,  that  it  interferes  with  the  sovereign 
rights  of  an  American.  It  seems  that  a  boy  reaches 
the  age  of  consent  earlier  in  religious  matters  than 
in  intellectual.  Horace's  Odes  and  Greek  philosophy, 
but  not  the  Psalms  or  the  teaching  of  Jesus,  may  be 
required  studies  for  him. 

"On  the  other  hand,  the  absence  of  the  strictly 
devotional  element  would  for  many  destroy  the  chief 
argument  for  making  Bible  study  required.  It  would 
seem,  however,  that  moral  and  religious  profit  from 
the  study  of  the  Bible  does  not  disappear  with  the 
disappearance  of  the  immediately  devotional  ele- 
ment; that  Bible  truth,  presented  without  appeal  or 
invitation,  presented  as  judicially  as  possible;  that 
the  facts  of  the  Bible,  recited  as  the  facts  of  profane 
history  are  recited ;  that  the  ethics  of  the 
Bible,  studied  as  any  other  subject  is  studied   Moral  value 

^        ■;  •"  of  literary 

(and    no    conscientious    scruples,    however  Bible  study 
abnormally  developed,   can    stand    in    the 
way  of  such  treatment),  ought  to  form  in  the  end  as 
potent  an  influence  over  thoughtful  men  and  women 
as  could  be  demanded. 


120     THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL- ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY. 

"6.  It  is  a  sad  commentary  on  former  methods 
that  the  phrase  prohibiting  teaching  which  is  *  sec- 
tarian in  rehgion  '  should  be  quoted  as  forbidding 
Bible  study.  Doubtless  the  legal  difficulties  differ 
in  the  various  states.  It  may  be  that  the  time  has 
not  yet  come  when  it  would  be  fitting  to  press  the 
claims  of  formal  Bible  study  upon  certain  state 
institutions.  Meantime,  there  is  an  abundant  oppor- 
tunity, with  rare,  if  any,  exceptions,  to  include 
Hebrew  history  in  ancient  history,  Biblical  master- 
pieces of  literature  in  literary  courses,  Biblical  ethics 
in  general  ethics,  until,  in  entire  conformity  to  law, 
the  students  are  put  in  possession  of  a  fair  knowledge 
of  Bible  facts." 

The  suggestions  are  of  the  greatest  value  and  sig- 
nificance. They  point  to  a  new  and  deeper  use 
of  the  Bible  in  schemes  of  religious  as  well 
important       2.S  secular  education.      We  shall  use  it  as 

to  Church-  literature — a  divine  and  inspired  literature, 
schools. 

it  is  true,  but  still  a  literature.      We  shall 

use  it  with  such  naturalness  and  freedom,  with  such 
intellectual  and  spiritual  earnestness,  with  such  fresh- 
ness of  thought  and  feeling,  that  it  will  become  to 
the  childhood  of  the  world  a  living  and  human  book. 
We  shall  do  much  to  take  from  it  the  stamp  and 
atmosphere  of  unreal  devotionalism  by  getting  back 
into  the  Book  itself. 

This  was  indeed  the  method  of  Jesus.  You  will 
recall  His  mode  of  dealing  with  the  Pharisees  when 
Method  of  He  replied  to  them  after  this  manner: — 
Jesus.  '  i  You  know  within  your  hearts  the  truth  of 

which  I  speak.      But  instead  of  following  this  inner 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS   COURSE  OF  STUDY.    121 

voice  you  allow  a  literal  and  narrow  traditionalism 
to  dethrone  your  reason,  your  own  sense  of  eternal 
things. "  It  is  for  us  to-day  to  learn  this  higher 
method,  to  use  it  and  trust  it.  The  child  who  is 
taught  the  story  of  Jonah,  for  example,  in  a  narrow 
and  unsympathetic  spirit  may  give  up  his  faith  with 
Jonah.  On  the  other  hand  the  child  who  is  taught 
that  the  faith  of  the  soul  rests  on  that  which  lies 
behind  Jonah,  discovers  that  the  prophet  to  Nineveh 
was  a  man  face  to  face  with  conscience,  and  not 
merely  the  hero  of  what  to  the  growing  lad  seems 
an  impossible  and  unreal  adventure.  True  religious 
education  must  put  the  child  in  possession  of  the 
Bible,  in  such  a  sense  and  so  far  as  to  make  it  touch 
his  life  in  the  simple  realities  of  his  growing  experi- 
ence. God,  Who  gave  Himself  to  the  boy  Samuel, 
must  through  our  ministry  give  Himself  to  the 
children  of  our  present  age. 

3.  Once  more,  the  Church  must  draw  the  child 
close  up  to  God  as  revealed  in  His  works.  Have 
we  ever  stopped  to  notice  how  saturated  ^ature- 
the  Bible  is  with  nature  }  Why,  it  begins  study. 
in  a  Garden,  and  its  last  chapter  sets  the  Heavenly 
city  in  the  midst  of  trees  and  meadow-lands,  and 
through  it  flows  "  the  river  of  water  of  Life  clear  as 
crystal."  Everywhere,  God  touches  man  through 
the  earth,  this  outward  life  of  flower  and  star  and 
mountain  and  storm.  With  this  in  mind,  it  is  sugges- 
tive to  note  how  ordinary  methods  of  teaching  reli- 
gion have  used  nature  as  a  kind  of  outside  illustration 
and  adornment  of  truth,  rather  than  as  something  out 
of  whose  very  life  itself  flow  the  truths  of  the  spiritual 


122    THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL-ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY. 

world.  There  is  a  vast  difference  between  Nature- 
study,  as  a  concrete  element  in  religious  teaching, 
and  telling  stories  about  flowers  and  birds.      When 

T        1  Tesus   told    men   to   consider  carefully   the 

Jesus  close      -^  ^  . 

to  the  heart  lily,  how  it  grows,  He  was  telling  them 
that  they  would  find  in  its  unfolding  life 
something  to  fill  their  own  life  with  richer  sacredness 
and  power.  Not  some  growth  meaningless  to  their 
life,  but  rather  a  growth  into  its  own  wondrous  beauty 
by  the  eternal  life  of  God  working  within  it,  as  it 
worked  in  their  own  souls. 

4.  Without  dwelling  at  too  great  length  on  the 
various  subjects  connected  with  Religious  Instruction, 
Geography  let  me  briefly  suggest  some  of  them  in 
^i\*^®,  addition.      The  history  of  the  world   is  a 

Church-  _  _        -^ 

school.  history  of  changes  in  the  map  of  the  world. 

I  think  we  have  all  been  impressed  with  the  general 
ignorance  of  young  people  in  all  questions  of  Sacred 
Geography  as  compared  with  their  knowledge  of  what 
may  be  termed,  for  the  sake  of  distinction,  Secular 
Geography.  Yet  it  is  unquestionable  that  no  really 
clear  knowledge  of  the  religious  history  of  Christianity 
can  be  had  unless  it  embraces  some  measure  of 
geographical  knowledge.  Why  so  .''  Because  Bibli- 
cal Geography  furnishes  a  concrete  introduction  to 
the  life  and  teachings  of  the  Bible.  It  brings  the 
past  into  close  and  vital  relations  with  the  present. 
It  should  therefore  be  made  a  definite  department  in 
our  Sunday-school  curriculum.  For  this  purpose 
we  need  reliable  and  scientific  text-books,  with  the 
best  maps  available.  Geography  should  be  studied 
progressively  and  thoroughly,  not  impersonally,  but 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY.     123 

always  from  the  point  of  view  of  its  relation  to  man. 
It  is  not  an  end  in  itself,  as  merely  so  much  knowl- 
edge, but  only  an  indispensable  aid  to  the  full  under- 
standing of  the  message  of  God,  revealed  through 
and  to  mankind. 

5.  Once  more,  the  Church  School  must  make  far 
more  of  History  than  is  commonly  done.  At  present 
there  seems  to  be  no  adequate  attempt  to 
give  young  people  such  definite  knowledge.  I*5a'Ceof 
The  Christian  of  to-day  is  in  danger  of 
finding  himself,  as  it  were,  suspended  in  air,  with  no 
firm  standing  in  historic  facts.  Between  the  times 
of  the  Apostles  and  our  own  age  there  is  a  vast 
history,  of  which  the  average  Christian  is  almost 
absolutely  ignorant.  It  may  be  stated,  and,  I  fear, 
without  much  danger  of  question,  that  with  the 
exception  of  two  or  three  names  and  events,  even 
the  scholars  in  our  Bible  Classes  have  very  little  con- 
ception of  those  great  historic  movements  that  have 
made  the  modern  world  what  it  is.  Yet  the  Faith 
of  to-day  is  rooted  in  this  great  corporate  life  of  the 
world,  and  the  works  of  Christ,  the  Gcsta  CJiristi, 
as  the  late  Charles  Brace  so  happily  put  it,  have  filled 
the  past  nineteen  centuries  with  events  which  are 
marvellous  in  their  power  to  strengthen  the  hold  of 
Christ  upon  modern  life  and  thought.  It  is  interest- 
ing and  important  in  this  connection  to  notice  that 

this   conviction  of  the  value  of  history  in    _,,    .,„ 

^  Ine     Free 

the  religious  instruction  of  the  young  has   Churcli" 
led  to  the  preparation  in  Scotland,  under   textbooks. 
the  editorship   of   Principal   Salmond,    of  extremely 
fine  Manuals  of  Church  History,  written  for  the  Free 


124    THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL-ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY. 

Church  Sunday-schools,  and  that  the  Oxford  Church 
Text-books,  for  a  similar  use,  are  now 
Manuait"^  in  course  of  publication  in  England.  The 
range  of  subjects  covered  in  these  manuals 
is  very  great,  embracing  not  only  history,  but  re- 
ligious doctrine  and  worship,  and  the  study  of  New 
Testament  ethics  as  applied  to  modern  life. 

6.  It  is  beyond  question  important  to  interpret 
present-day  life  in  the  terms  of  Christian  truth.  The 
Christian  ancient  Jewish  Church  was  contemporary 
Ethics.  with   the    life  of  the  race  at    every  point. 

The  singular  charm  and  power  of  the  Bible  is  that 
it  is  vital  at  every  point  with  the  experience  of  the 
age,  in  Avhich  its  saints  and  its  sinners  lived.  The 
secret  of  power  in  Christianity  must  be  the  same. 
Christ  must  be  contemporary  with  the  twentieth  cen- 
tury or  He  will  become  an  obsolete  factor  in  the 
growing  life  of  humanity.  God  reveals  Himself  to- 
day— whether  the  day  be  that  of  Moses  or  Isaiah,  of 
St.  Paul  or  Luther,  or  of  Lincoln  and  Gladstone,  of 
Maurice  and  Beecher  and  Newman.  God  is  the  God 
of  those  now  living,  even  as  He  was  in  their  own 
day  the  God  of  the  dead.  Therefore  the  instruction 
of  our  youth  must  be  abreast  of  the  present  problems 
which  they  are  to  face. 

Talk  with  any  thoughtful  man  of  business,  and  he 
will  tell  you  that  what  he  needs  is  to  feel  the 
Thehusiness  strength  of  a  powerful  moral  force  im- 
world.  mediately   identified   with   his  daily   work. 

He  will  confess  that  his  perpetual  danger  lies  in  the 
ease  with  which  this  present  life,  with  its  glamour, 
its    almost    brutal  frankness,   and     its  insidious    yet 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS   COURSE   OF  STUDY-     125 

tyrannous  demands,  confronts  him.  The  laws  of 
ethics,  their  ideal  statements  and  standards  must 
enter  man's  life  in  its  youth. 

There  comes  a  time  in  this  period  of  adolescence, 
when  the  youth  is  already  passing  out  to  the  work  of 

the  world,  going  into  offices,  taking  his  first 

1  •      1       •  11-  1  1  1    ^i^s*  ®^' 

lessons   m   busmess,    lookmg  through    and   periences 

within  to  the  inner  structure  of  the  business  of  yo^*^- 
world.  The  Church  has  a  right  to  assume  that  the 
boy  shall  begin  to  study  the  moral  problems  that 
now  confront  him.  It  is  a  period  when  he  finds 
himself  drifting  out  from  the  influences  of  the  Church. 
He  is  trying  to  adjust  himself  to  the  world  as  he  sees 
it,  and  he  feels  far  more  keenly  than  we  often  realize 
the  break  between  the  ideals  and  the  ignorances  of 
childhood  and  the  first  rough  disillusioning  of  early 
manhood.  The  Church  must  include  Ethics  in  the 
religious  instruction  of  her  youth,  if  she  would  send 
them  out  properly  equipped  to  meet  the  dangerous 
sophistries  of  the  world.  The  boy  must  carry  within 
himself  a  moral  antidote  to  the  temptations  of  his 
own  manhood. 

7.  I  have  not  dwelt  upon  the  important  part 
which  the  Prayer-book  and  the  Christian  Year  must 
play  in  any  scheme  of  religious  education.  The  Prayer- 
Some  one  has  said  that  if  the  Christian  Year,    ^°°^  ^^^  ^^® 

Christian 

with  its  cycle  of  Holy  Days  and  Seasons,  Year. 
had  been  the  invention  of  any  one  man,  he  would  have 
established  his  claim  upon  the  perpetual  gratitude  and 
veneration  of  the  world.  This  is  none  too  high  an 
estimate.  The  Prayer-book  is  probably  the  most 
remarkable  Book  of  Worship  Christianity  has  pro- 


126     THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS   COURSE  OF  STUDY. 

duced,  and  is  also  its  finest  statement  of  faith.  These 
subjects  are  to  be  taught  and  taught  thoroughly. 
And  by  their  use  in  Worship,  by  their  continual  pres- 
ence and  influence  in  daily  life,  they  become  imbedded 
in  the  memory  and  affections  forever.  Their  educa- 
tional value  is  beyond  estimate.  They  create  their 
own  atmosphere,  provide  their  inconceivably  rich 
associations  and  traditions,  and  must  be  a  constituent 
element  in  the  educational  work  of  the  Church. 

III.  In  conclusion  let  me  go  back  to  the  point 
from  which  we  started  out:  the  Church-school  is  a 
school,  and  must  do  its  work  in  accordance  with  the 
principles  of  education  as  applied  elsewhere.  This 
must  be  the  position,  from  which  any  real  advance  is 
to  be  made.  Further,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that, 
whatever  success  the  Sunday-school  has  had  in  the 
past,  has  been  gained  more  in  spite  of  the  faulty 
methods  generally  used  than  in  accordance  with 
correct    methods.       The    time    has    come 

Demand 

for  new  when    the  wide-spread  dissatisfaction  with 

methods.  p^^^^  methods  calls  for  an  earnest  effort  to 
correct  them.  There  are  many  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  accomplishing  this  result.  But  the  Church 
certainly  has  upon  her  side  in  this  great  task  the 
interest,  the  experience,  the  costly  skill,  and  rich 
devotion,  of  the  leading  educators  of  the  age. 

This  work  is  one  that  demands  more  of  expert  and 
■^    highly  trained  intelligence,  than  at  present 
Cliurch  needs  can  be  found  within  the    Ministry  of  the 
cators!  ^       Church.      As  in  the  creation  of  her  cathe- 
drals,   she    calls    to    her    aid    those    who 
have  been  trained  as  architects  and  builders,  and  in 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL— ITS   COURSE  OF  STUDY.    127 

her  worship  those,  whom  God  has  inspired  with 
the  gifts  of  music  and  song;  so  in  the  education 
of  her  children,  the  Church  may  well  command  the 
service  of  those  whose  lives  have  been  consecrated 
to  the  Ministry  of  Education,  and  whose  minds  have 
been  inspired  with  that  gift  of  God's  Spirit,  by  which 
they  are  called  to  rightly  divide  the  words  of  know- 
ledge and  truth.  Indeed  it  is  by  so  doing  that  the 
Church  will  prove  herself  faithful  to  that  most  sacred 
trust  of  guiding  the  youth  of  the  world  into  the  truth 
and  knowledge  of  God. 


VI. 


THE  PREPARATION  OF  THE  SUNDAY- 
SCHOOL  TEACHER. 

By  Dr.  Walter  L.  Hervey,  Examiner,  New  York  Board 
of  Education;  Former  President,  Teachers  College. 


SYNOPSIS  OF  LECTURE  VI. 

Primary  assumptions. 

Three  Problems:   (a)  Subject-matter,  (/')  Pupil,  (c)  Teacher. 
The  Subject-matter, — two  ways  of  treating  it. 
The  Poet's  Way. 

Power  of  Dramatic  Imagination. 

Its  use  in  the  Bible  work. 

Illustrated  by  S.  Peter  and  S.  Paul  at  Beautiful  Gate  of 

Temple. 
Also  by  the  "  Story  of  Cadmus." 
Applied  to  Bible  Teaching. 
The  Philosopher's  Way. 

Illustrations  of  its  use. 

Danger  of  Wrong  Interpretations  illustrated. 
Important  to  find  precise  meaning  of  each  paragraph. 
Directions  for  the  Study  of  any  Subject-matter. 
Knowledge  and  the  Pupil. 
Catechism  compared  with  Bible. 
The  Pupil. 

General  Principle  in  his  treatment  by  teacher. 
Illustrations  of  its  use. 
Special  Rule  from  General  Principle. 
Additional  Points  of  Insight  needed  by  teacher. 
Illustrated  by  Hamlet  and  Guildenstern. 
The  Teacher  Himself. 
External  and  Internal  Authority. 
Help  the  Pupil  to  find  the  Truth  himself. 
Proper  Place  of  the  Bible. 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  Child-life. 
General  Negations. 


THE     PREPARATION    OF    THE     SUNDAY- 
SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

In  attacking  this  problem  of  the  preparation  of  the 
Sunday-school  teacher,  I  shall  assume  that  the 
Sunday-school  teacher,  who  has  read  the  primary 
chapters  that  precede  this,  understands  assumptions. 
pretty  clearly  what  he  is  preparing  for ;  and  I  shall 
further  assume  that  we  are  in  substantial  agreement 
that  religious  teaching  is  not  a  matter  of  form,  or  of 
convention, — the  teaching  of  certain  things  which  it 
were  a  shame  not  to  know, — and  that  it  is  not 
primarily  a  matter  of  knowledge,  but  is  an  affair  of 
life:  that  religious  teaching  has  to  do  primarily  with 
the  normal  life  and  growth  of  spiritual  beings,  and 
that  its  end  and  aim  is  to  raise  up  a  generation  of 
well-nourished  and  normally  growing  children  who 
have  keen  interests  and  true  tastes,  *' who  love  and 
hate  aright, ' '  and  who  know  what  they  know  in  the 
right  way. 

In  pursuit  of  this  aim  it  is  necessary  that  jjipee  prob- 
every  teacher   should   g-rapple   with   three  lemstobe 

11  1  1  1  r      1  1  .  met !  I.  The 

problems:     the    problem    of     the    subject-   subject- 
matter  of  instruction,   the  problem  of  the   ^,^**^^' ., ■^^* 

"^  Tne  pupil, 

pupils  to  be  instructed,  and  the  problem  of  in.  The 
himself  and  his  conception  of  the  truth.  *®^°  ^^' 

131 


132  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

I.  The  teacher's  mastery  of  his  subject — of  what 
does  it  consist  ?  What  must  the  teacher  have  done, 
I  The  sub-  °^  ^^  ^h\Q  to  do,  before  it  can  be  said  of 
ject-matter.  him,  ' '  He  is  master  of  that  which  he  would 
teach  ' '  ?  In  other  words,  How  must  a  Sunday-school 
teacher  know  his  Sunday-school  lesson  in  order  to 

teach  it  ?  There  are  two  chief  ways  of 
JfTeaSg.     grasping  any  truth :   one  we  may  call  the 

way  of  the  poet,  and  the  other  the  way  of 
the  philosopher.  I  should  say  that  the  teacher  must 
have  both. 

By  the  ' '  way  of  the  poet  ' '  I  mean  the  power  to 
create,  to  put  life  into  persons  and  things.  And  I 
have  in  mind  that  dramatic  imagination  which 
enables  Kipling  to  find  the  soul  of  an  engine  or  a 
ship;  which  makes  him  able  to  look  on  the  world 
(a)  The  through  a  horse's  eyes,  talk  horse-talk, — 

poet's  way,  even  the  horse-slang  of  the  back  pasture — 
and  make  the  horse  that  played  polo  say:  '*My 
hock  is  swelled  as  big  as  a  nose-bag."  Ernest 
Seton-Thompson's  stories  of  Vixen,  Rag,  and  Wahb 
are  in  this  respect  not  less  truly  dramatic  than 
Browning's  ''Ring  and  the  Book,"  for  in  both  the 
author  identifies  himself  with  the  life  which  he  de- 
picts, and  touches  the  springs  of  that  life. 

This  dramatic  imagination  the  teacher  must  have. 
For  how  can  the  teacher  depict  so  vividly  that  those 
Power  of  ^^^o  hear  seem  also  to  see,  if  he  have  not 
dramatic        the    vision    himself }     How    can    he    read 

with  such  expression  that  the  words  make 
pictures  in  the  minds  of  those  who  listen,  unless  in 
his  own  mind  there  lives  the  image  he  would  create 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER,  i33 

for  another  ?  The  teacher,  hke  the  poet,  is  a  maker; 
he  is  a  creator ;  it  is  his  office  to  take  material — from 
the  Catechism,  from  the  Bible,  from  Nature,  from 
human  experience, — that  but  for  him  might  be  with- 
out form  and  void, — and  make  it  live. 

In    preparing  to   teach,    or  to  tell  a  Bible   story, 
therefore,  the  first  thing  a  teacher  should  do  is  to 
put  himself  into  the  place  of  the  chief  char- 
acter, and  then  to  put  himself  into  the  place   the  Bible. 
of  each  of  the  other  characters  in  turn.     He 
must  think  what  the  past  of  each  has  been ;   he  must 
stock  his  own  mind  with   the  memories  they  must 
have  had ;   he  must  think  what  is  their  present  out- 
look on  life,  and  their  hopes  and  fears  for  the  future. 

Let  us  take,  for  example,  the  story  of  Peter  and 

John's    affair  with   the   elders,    as  told  in  the  early 

chapters  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.     Peter 

1    T    1        1       1    1        1     1         1  J 1      Illustrated  by 

and  John  had  healed  a  lame  man  at  the  g^.  Peter  and 

Beautiful  Gate  of  the  Temple,  and  had  then  S*-  John  in 

1       1  1  1        r  1        1  the  Temple. 

preached  to  the  crowds  of  people  that  ran 

together  unto  them  **  in  the  porch  that  is  called  Solo- 
mon's, greatly  wondering  "  ;  and  then,  as  the  narra- 
tive tells,  *  *  As  they  spake  unto  the  people,  the  priests 
and  the  captain  of  the  Temple  and  the  Sadducees 
came  upon  them,  being  sore  troubled  because  they 
taught  the  people,  and  proclaimed  through  Jesus  the 
resurrection  from  the  dead.  And  they  laid  hands  on 
them,  and  put  them  in  ward  unto  the  morrow;  for  it 
was  now  eventide.  But  many  of  them  that  heard 
the  word  believed ;  and  the  number  of  the  men  came 
to  be  about  five  thousand.  And  it  came  to  pass  on 
the  morrow,  that  their  rulers  and  elders  and  scribes 


134  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL   TEACHER. 

were  gathered  together  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  Annas  the 
high  priest  was  there,  and  Caiaphas,  and  John,  and 
Alexander,  and  as  many  as  were  of  the  kindred  of 
the  high  priest.  And  when  they  had  set  them  in 
the  midst  they  inquired.  By  what  power,  or  in  what 
name,  have  ye  done  this  ?  ' '  Then  follows  the 
story  of  Peter's  brave  and  telling  reply,  and  the 
complete  discomfiture  of  the  great  men  who  would 
have  been  glad  to  do  away  with  them,  as  they  had 
with  their  Master  some  three  months  before,  but  that 
they  feared  the  people. 

The  narrative  is  a  very  brief  and  plain  one.  Those 
modern  aids  to  emotion,  and  devices  for  depriving 
men  of  the  necessity  of  thinking  for  themselves,  are 
conspicuous  by  their  absence.  There  are  no  head- 
lines to  make  you  feel,  and  no  editorials  to  keep  you 
from  thinking.  Nothing  is  easier  than  to  read  the 
words  of  this  story,  and  to  miss  the  points  of  the 
situation.  I  do  not  say  that  boys  and  girls  ought  to 
be  expected  to  put  themselves  wholly  at  the  point  of 
view  of  Peter  and  John;  but  that  they  can  to  some 
extent,  and  to  a  greater  extent  than  they  sometimes 
do.  Their  difficulty  is  not  wholly  due  to  the  fact 
that  the  passage  is  set  for  Sunday  reading  and  study, 
though  I  think  it  more  than  likely  that  its  unreality 
is  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  the  passage  comes  out 
of  the  Bible  and  is  read  on  Sunday.  I  do  not 
believe  that  Sunday  is  quite  so  real  as  other  days,  or 
the  Bible  quite  so  real  as  other  books,  though  I 
firmly  believe — in  fact  I  know — that  both  can  be 
made  so. 

The  wise  teacher,  therefore,  in  preparing  a  lesson 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  I3S 

on  Peter  and  John,  will  not  deceive  himself.  He 
will  be  fully  conscious  that  boys  and  girls 
have,  under  certain  circumstances,  a  char-  sJry^reai.^ 
acteristic  way  of  dealing  with  words,  a  way 
which  is  not  wholly  peculiar  to  boys  and  girls  either. 
Words,  coming  through  the  ear  and  seeking  admis- 
sion to  the  mind,  they  receive  with  outward  sem- 
blance of  hospitality,  show  them  to  a  back  room, 
remote  from  the  living-room,  and  keep  them  there, 
with  no  warmth  except  that  which  they  may- supply 
to  one  another,  and  no  food  except  what  they  may 
have  brought  with  them.  When  the  words  are 
wanted  by  the  teacher  they  are,  or  may  be,  pro- 
duced, in  about  the  same  state  of  preservation  as 
when  they  were  stored.  Such  words  as  Annas, 
Caiaphas,  John,  and  Alexander,  in  the  passage  be- 
fore us,  are  especially  liable  to  be  put  into  cold 
storage  in  this  way ;  abstract  terms  also,  and  anything 
that  is  not  understood,  or  made  real,  or  at  least  felt. 
How  shall  this  sort  of  burial  alive  be  avoided  .-* 
How  may  the  teacher  make  sure  that  the  words  of 
the  story  shall  be  taken  into  the  living-room  where 
they  may  make  friends  with  the  family  and  the 
favoured  guests  already  there,  and  become  part  of 
the  life  of  the  little  community  gathered  round  the 
hearthstone  .'*  The  answer  is:  The  teacher  may 
make  words  live  for  his  pupils  by  first  of  all  making 
them  live  for  himself. 

For  who  were  Peter  and  John  .-*  They  were  just 
poor  fishermen,  and  for  sometime  back  they  had  not 
been  even  fishermen.  They  spoke  in  such  a  way 
that  educated  people  could  tell  at  once  that  they  were 


13^  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL   TEACHER. 

"unlearned  and  ignorant  men."      Moreover,  it  was 
only  about    three    months  ago  that  these 

Making 

words  men  had  fled  for  their  lives  for  fear  of  these 

^^^®'  same  gentlemen    who  had  seized  them  and 

locked  them  up  the  day  before.  And  who  were 
these  gentlemen  .''  Why,  they  were  men  in  authority 
in  the  Church,  they  were  among  the  most  important 
and  powerful  people  in  the  city.  They  had  had 
people  put  to  death  before  now  for  disagreeing  with 
them.  The  social  and  official  distance  between  Peter 
and  John  and  Annas  and  Caiaphas  was  as  great  as  if 
two  Italian  chestnut-venders  should  be  haled  before 
the  presence  of  His  Honour  the  Mayor,  and  the 
Corporation  Counsel,  and  the  Controller,  and  His 
Honour  the  Mayor's  brother;  and  the  courage  dis- 
played by  these  fishermen  in  ' '  talking  right  up  to  " 
the  high  priest  was  certainly  not  less  than  might  be 
shown  by  the  poor  Italians  if,  in  that  dread  presence, 
they  spoke  brave  words  in  their  defence.  For  Peter 
courageously  struck  out  from  the  shoulder  and 
accused  these  men  of  having  crucified  Jesus  by  whose 
power  the  miracle  of  healing  was  done ;  and  they 
actually  cowed  their  questioners,  so  that  all  they  did 
was  to  threaten  them  if  they  ever  did  such  a  thing 
again.  And  so,  when  Peter  and  John  said  that  if  it 
came  to  a  choice  between  obeying  God  and  obeying 
them,  they  would  easily  know  which  to  do,  these 
great  men  could  do  nothing  but  impotently  threaten 
them  some  more,  and  let  them  go. 

And  what  were  the  feelings  of  these  people  } 
What,  for  example,  were  the  feelings  of  the  man 
who  had  been  lame  for  forty  years,  and  a  beggar  for 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  137 

almost  as  long,  as  he  looked  on  l^cter  and  John  ex- 
pecting an  alms,  as  he  heard  one  of  them 
say  '^Silver  and  gold  have  I  none"  ?  as  Put  yourself 
he  heard  ' '  but  such  as  I  have  give  I  thee  ' '  ?  ^^^^^ 
as  he  found  that  he  could  Avalk  ?  as  he 
went  to  his  home  and  back  again  to  the  Temple 
the  next  day,  not  to  beg,  but  to  praise  God  ?  These 
feelings  are  worth  entering  into,  they  can  be  entered 
into,  and  they  should  be  entered  into  by  the  teacher 
preparing  the  lesson.  So  also  into  the  inner  life  of 
each  of  the  other  actors  in  the  drama  in  turn  the 
teacher  should  enter:  the  group  around  the  high 
priest,  their  discomfiture,  and  their  schemes  for 
accomplishing  later  what  they  had  been  baffled  in 
now ;  and  Peter  and  John  with  their  fearless  courage 
when  under  fire,  and  their  jubilant  rejoicing  with 
their  friends  after  it  was  all  over.  I  even  think  that 
the  teacher,  who  wished  to  establish  perfect  rapport 
with  the  situation,  might  imagine  and  construct  the 
accounts  of  the  affair  that  might  have  appeared  in 
the  public  prints  of  the  day, — assuming  that  there 
were  such  things  as  public  prints, — the  account 
appearing  in  the  official  paper  of  the  established 
Church,  that  in  the  Christian's  paper,  that  in  the 
secular  paper,  with  titles  and  headlines  as  real  as 
life.  He  should,  in  a  word,  make  the  story  live  in 
his  own  mind,  not  only  by  transporting  himself  to 
antiquity,  but  also  by  translating  the  story  into 
terms  of  modern  life,  though  there  are  grave  dangers 
in  this,  of  which  I  shall  speak  later  on. 
'  And  now,  lest  by  my  crude  illustration  I  deter  any 
from  attempting  to  carry  out  the  principle  I  advocate, 


J 


8  THE   SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 


allow  me  to  cite  a  classic  instance  from  the  hand  of 
A  further  3-  Hiastcr.  First  I  will  read  an  incident 
illustration,  fi'om  the  story  of  Cadmus,  as  it  appears  in 
Bullfinch's  **  Age  of  Fable,"  and  in  Addison's  trans- 
lation of  Ovid,  and  then  alongside  of  these  I  will 
place  the  version  in  Hawthorne's  Second  Wonder 
Book,  beginning  at  the  point  where  Cadmus  has 
sown  the  dragon's  teeth. 

**  Scarce  had  he  done  so,"  says  the  Bullfinch 
story,  "when  the  clods  began  to  move,  and  the 
points  of  spears  to  appear  above  the  surface.  Next 
helmets  with  their  nodding  plumes  came  up,  and 
next  the  shoulders  and  breasts  and  limbs  of  men 
with  weapons,  and  in  time  a  harvest  of  armed 
warriors. ' ' 

Here  is  Addison: 

"  He  sows  the  teeth  at  Pallas's  command, 
And  flings  the  future  people  from  his  hand ; 
The  clods  grow  warm,  and  crumble  where  he  sows, 
And  now  the  pointed  spears  advance  in  rows ; 
Now  nodding  plumes  appear,  and  shining  crests, 
Now  the  broad  shoulders  and  the  rising  breasts ; 
O'er  all  the  field  the  breathing  harvest  swarms, 
A  growing  host,  a  crop  of  men  and  arms." 

Succinct  and  fairly  vivid  recitals  both.  Now  for 
Hawthorne : 

**The  sun  was  shining  slantwise  over  the  field, 
and  showed  all  the  moist,  dark  soil,  just  like  any 
other  newly  planted  piece  of  ground.  All  at  once 
Cadmus  fancied  he  saw  something  glisten  very 
brightly,  first  at  one  spot,  then  at  another,  and  then 
at  a  hundred  and  a  thousand  spots  together.  Soon 
he  perceived  them  to  be  the  steel  heads  of  spears, 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER,  139 

sprouting  up  everywhere  like  so  many  stalks  of  grain, 
and  continually  growing  taller  and  taller.  Next 
appeared  a  vast  number  of  bright  sword-blades, 
thrusting  themselves  up  in  the  same  way.  A 
moment  afterwards  the  whole  surface  of  the  ground 
was  broken  by  a  multitude  of  polished  brass  helmets, 
coming  up  like  a  crop  of  enormous  beans.  So 
rapidly  did  they  grow  that  Cadmus  now  discerned 
the  fierce  countenance  of  a  man  beneath  every  one; 
in  short,  before  he  had  time  to  think  what  a  wonder- 
ful affair  it  was,  he  beheld  an  abundant  harvest  of 
what  looked  like  human  beings,  armed  with  helmets 
and  breastplates,  shields,  swords,  and  spears;  and 
before  they  were  well  out  of  the  earth,  they 
brandished  their  weapons,  and  clashed  them  one 
against  another,  seeming  to  think,  little  while  as  they 
had  yet  lived,  that  they  had  wasted  too  much  of  life 
without  a  battle.  Every  tooth  of  the  dragon  had 
produced  one  of  these  sons  of  deadly  mischief.  Up 
sprouted,  also,  a  great  many  trumpeters  " —  But  I 
must  leave  you  to  imagine  how  the  author  has,  by 
the  use  of  mere  words,  made  us  hear  the  tremendous 
and  ear-shattering  blasts  of  martial  music,  just  as  he 
has  made  us  see,  with  our  own  eyes,  as  he  certainly 
must  have  seen  with  his,  the  sprouting  of  this  crop 
of  men ;  for  if  he  had  not  been  an  eye-witness  of  the 
scene,  how  could  he  tell  us  later  on  "  how  the  earth 
out  of  which  they  had  so  lately  grown  was  incrusted 
here  and  there  on  their  bright  breastplates,  and 
even  begrimed  their  faces ;  just  as  you  may  have  seen 
it  clinging  to  beets  and  carrots  when  pulled  out  of 
their  native  soil  "  .'* 


I40  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

From  the  Bullfinch  account  you  gather  that  the 
warlike  crop  came  up,  but  fi'om  the  Hawthorne  story 
you  learn  that  ih.cy  gi'czv,  and  you  feel  that  you  must 
have  seen  them  growing  yourself.  The  latter  story 
has  sound,  colour,  atmosphere,  movement,  life.  Once 
heard  it  is  a  thing  to  live  in  the  imagination  for  ever. 

And  now  let  me  make  an  important  qualification. 
Nowhere  is  good  taste  and  a  certain  reserve  more 
requisite  than  in  such  appeals  to  the  imagination  as 
these  I  advocate.  The  typical  negro  sermon  is  a 
Application  warning  against  excess  and  offence  against 
to  teaching,  taste.  Moreover,  the  bow  of  Hawthorne  is 
not  for  every  one's  stretching.  But  every  teacher  can 
prepare  himself  by  exercising  his  own  imagination, 
however  much  he  may  be  constrained  to  refrain  from 
elaborate  attempts  at  expanding  before  the  class. 
The  essential  thing  is  that  the  teacher  make  the  sub- 
ject live  in  his  own  mind.  If  he  has  done  that,  he 
will  find  little  by  little  that  his  very  inflections  and 
tone  and  gestures  show  that  something  is  behind 
them.  He  will  find  the  imagery  creeping  into  his 
speech,  and  will  see  the  answering  light  coming  in 
his  pupil's  eyes,  and  in  the  strength  of  that  assurance 
he  may  venture  farther  flights  until  he  finds  that  he 
too  is  a  member  of  the  guild  of  those  who  can  make 
the  "eyes  see  pictures  when  they're  shut." 

But  the  poet's  way  must  needs  be  followed  up  by 

the  way  of  the  philosopher,    by  which   I   mean  that 

the  teacher  in  preparing"  his  lesson  should 
(b)  The  ,  ,  ^    ^^^      ^      ^     ,  ,       . 

philosopher's  make  a  desperate  errort  to  nnd  out  what  it 

way.  means.      For  if  metaphysics,   as  Professor 

James  has  said,  "  is  only  an  unusually  stubborn  effort 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  141 

to  think  clearly,"  a  philosopher  is  only  a  man  who 
tries  to  penetrate  the  disguise  of  things  and  find  out 
what  the}'  really  ai^c.  Every  man  you  meet  on  the 
street,  every  character  you  run  across  in  a  book, 
every  story,  every  parable,  has  a  meaning  more  or 
less  definite  and  precise,  more  or  less  susceptible  of 
being  expressed.  It  is  the  teacher's  business  to 
form  for  himself  as  clear  a  notion  as  he  can  of  that 
meaning,  to  express  it  in  his  own  words,  or  find 
other  words  in  which  to  express  it  better. 

I  am  speaking  for  myself — and  I  may  be  speaking 
for  others — when  I  say  that  effort  is  required  to 
search  out  the  true  meaning  of  a  man  or  a  book,  and 
that  that  effort  is  sometimes  so  great  that  it  does  not 
come  natural  to  make  it.  We  all  of  us  take  our 
judgments  at  second  hand  once  in  a  while,  some  ot 
us  most  of  the  time ;  and  it  is  a  rare  and  precious 
thing  to  meet  one  of  those  balanced  and  judging 
minds  that  are  bent  on  giving  every  one  his  absolute 
due,  in  spite  of  prejudice  and  in  spite  of  custom. 

Have  you  ever  figured  out  for  yourselves  the  pre- 
cise meaning,  to  yourselves  at  least,  of  the  Book  of 
Jonah,    or  tried  to  view  the  characters   of 

T         1  ir-r-x-1  11  .1-1   Illustrations. 

Jacob  and  of  David  as  wholes,  or  studied 
the  parables  of  our  Lord  with  intent  to  see  the  prin- 
ciple of  which  each  was  the  illustration  .'*  This  sort 
of  thing  the  teacher  must  do,  for  if  he  fail  here  he 
may  find  himself  teaching  particulars  unillumined  by 
the  rays  of  universal  truth,  and  hence  inapplicable 
to  your  case  or  mine.  For  if  we  do  not  know  the 
meaning  of  a  fact,  how  can  we  use  it  .^  Not  only  is 
a  meaning  an  illuminator,  throwing  light  on  blind 


142  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

facts  and  showing  their  applicabihty;  it  is  also  a 
bond,  binding  together  individuals  that  are  useless 
alone.  Professor  Moulton  in  his  book  of  Bible  Stories 
from  the  New  Testament  has  grouped  his  material, 
and  given  telling  names  to  the  groups.  For  exam- 
ple, under  the  heading,  "A  Specimen  Day  in  the 
Life  of  Jesus,"  he  groups  several  incidents,  and 
thereby  makes  both  the  incidents  and  the  life  mean 
more  to  us.  "  An  Encounter  with  a  Foreigner  "  is 
one  of  his  titles,  and  later  on,  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  we  read  of  missionary  adventures,  including 
the  "  Mob  of  Ephesus  "  and  the  "■  Conspiracy."  I 
need  not  dwell  on  the  difference  between  calling  a 
lesson  ' '  The  XIX.  of  Acts,  "  or  "  Paul  at  Ephesus, ' ' 
and  "The  Mob  of  Ephesus";  or  the  difference 
between  ''Christ  and  the  Syrophenician  Woman," 
and  "An  Encounter  with  a  Foreigner."  In  the 
one  case  you  have  what  the  incident  is  called;  in 
the  other  you  have  what  it    really  is. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  this  is  a  work  of  difficulty, 
and  a  work  fraught  with  considerable  danger.  There 
is  danger  that  we  may  seek  serious  and  formal  morals, 
where  there  exists  nothing  that  will  not  be  spoiled 
by  formulation ;  as  when  one  attempts  to  read  into  a 
song,  like  Tennyson's 

"  Alone  and  warming  his  five  wits 
The  white  owl  in  the  belfry  sits," 

a  meaning  so  formidable  as  that  * '  This  expresses 
the  yearning  of  the  solitary  after  social  life  "  ;  or  as 
when  one  might  try  to  read  into  some  of  Haw- 
thorne's vague  allegorical  stories,  meanings  of  which 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  I43 

the  author  was  but  dimly  conscious  when  he  wrote 
them,  and  of  which,  when  asked  to  explain  what  he 
meant,  he  said,  "I  suppose  I  had  some  idea  about 
what  those  things  meant  when  I  wrote  them,  but  I 
declare  I  don't  know  what  it  is  now." 

There  is  danger,  too,  that  we  shall  get  wrong  or 
partial  meanings,  as  did  the  little  German  peasant 
boy   whom    I    once   heard  in    the   religion 

1  •   •  1        1  1  All  Danger  of 

class,  recitmg  the  lesson  on  how  Abraham   wrong  in- 
delivered  Lot  from  the  four   kincfs.      The   terpretations 

•^  illustrated. 

time  had  come  for  the  last  of  the  ' '  formal 
steps, ' '  and  the  child  was  trying  to  formulate  in  set 
terms  the  lesson  of  the  narrative.     "  Abraham  helped 
Lot  in  his  time  of  need,"  said  he,  after  considerable 
^questioning.      "  Well,  what  do  we  learn  from  that  .<*  " 

)aid  the  boy  after  much  cogitation,  "  My  neighbours 

)ught  to  help  me  in  my  time  of  need." 

Granting  that  there  are  some  things  of  which  the 
meaning  is  something   felt,   rather   than   something 
thought,  there  are  plenty  of  meanings  that 
must,   by  the  teacher  at  least,   be   sought  meaning  of 

out  and  made  thinkable  by  being  expressed   every  para- 
graph read, 
m  terms,  and   1  want  to  suggest  two  ways 

of  doing  this.  First,  let  the  teacher,  in  his  Bible- 
study  or  in  ordinary  reading,  school  himself  in 
finding  and  stating  the  precise  meaning  of  each 
paragraph  he  reads ;  for  if  a  paragraph  is  rightly 
constructed,  it  has  a  topic  that  may  be  expressed  in 
a  single  sentence  or  a  single  phrase.  And  second, 
having  done  this,  let  him  in  like  manner  arrive  at  the 
meaning  of  a  whole  chapter  or  an  entire  book,  by 
grouping  together  these  topic  sentences  into  a  topic 


144  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

paragraph.  By  way  of  summary  of  these  points  I 
am  now  going  to  quote  from  a  syllabus  which,  at  the 
request  of  the  Commission,  I  have  prepared  for  the 
use  of  teachers  studying  one  of  the  books  in  the 
Course ;  for  the  directions  for  study  here  given  seem 
to.  me  to  be  applicable  to  the  teacher's  study  of  any 
book. 

1.  Read  the  whole  chapter  (or  lesson)  through 
once  for  the  purpose  of  getting  a  general  idea  of 
Directions  what  it  means.  When  you  have  finished 
for  the  study  ^j-^jg   reading-   close   the   book,  and   write  a 

of  any  sub-  "^ 

ject-matter.  brief  Statement  in  answer  to  the  question, 
* '  What  is  the  point  of  this  passage  ^  ' ' 

2.  Read  the  chapter,  sentence  by  sentence,  para- 
graph by  paragraph,  trying  to  grasp  the  meaning 
clearly,  precisely,  personally. 

Some  of  the  words  contain  ''buried  metaphors," 
pictures;  see  that  you  see  these  pictures,  and  are 
prepared  to  make  others  see  them. 

Some  of  the  sentences  are  expressed  in  abstract 
language,  conveying  a  general  truth ;  find  concrete 
illustrations  of  every  one  of  these.  Where  the  author 
uses  an  illustration,  find  other  illustrations  of  your 
own. 

Where  the  author  uses  one  form  of  statement,  use 
another  of  your  own.  See  in  how  many  ways  you 
can  say  the  same  thing.  (There  are  many  ways  of 
putting  things,  as  there  are  many  flies  in  the  fisher- 
man's book.) 

This  is  the  step  of  clearness,  of  detail,  of  pictur- 
ing, of  amplification  and  enrichment  of  materials. 
Its   purpose    is    to    make  the  truth   clear,    definite, 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  145 

concrete,  and  so  warm,  living,  and  ready  for 
action. 

3.  Read  the  chapter,  paragraph  by  paragraph, 
asking  yourself,  * '  What  question  is  answered  by  this 
paragraph  ?  "  **  What  short  statement  will  precisely 
express  the  point  of  this  paragraph  (and  so  be  the 
answer  to  the  question  just  framed)  ?  "  *  *  What 
maxim,  or  text,  or  proverb,  or  pithy  saying  applies 
at  just  this  point  ?  ' '  How  is  this  paragraph  related 
to  the  whole, — does  it  express  a  new  thought,  or 
amplify  one  already  developed, — does  it  suggest  a 
paragraph  or  sentence  in  another  connection  ?  How 
does  it  follow  from  what  precedes  ?  how  lead  to  what 
follows  ?  In  a  word,  if  it  is  a  link,  what  are  the 
co-ordinate  links  ? 

Make  an  outline  of  the  chapter  or  the  book,  with 
heads  and  sub-heads,  being  careful  not  to  make 
heads  sub-heads,  or  sub-heads  heads.  And  with  all 
this  thinking,  be  alert  for  personal  meanings,  for 
applications. 

This  is  the  step  of  comparing,  condensing,  gene- 
ralizing, binding  together  into  wholes.  Its  purpose 
is  to  get  at  the  truth  by  weeding  out  ideas  that 
seemed  true  when  standing  alone,  but  which  on 
comparison  are  seen  to  be  false;  and,  by  massing 
and  organizing,  to  make  our  mental  forces  into  reg- 
ular troops  instead  of  guerrillas  and  bushwhackers. 

To  sum  up:  First  a  rough  general  view,  such  as 
a  civil  engineer  might  gain  by  riding  over  the 
country  he  is  to  survey.  Second,  clearness  as  to 
facts ;  warmth  in  details ;  putting  yourself  into  the 
thing, — whether  it    be  thing  done,    thing    seen,   or 


is6  :--5  sLXD.^Y-scHc:':^  ~5-'_-r^. 

:       ^     7  :        7  .  : :. .    coffipac: . :  ,:       -rt?    into  wholes, 
-  ::   r.        _         nsTS.   :  ^  n?  for  actioit. 

:   each  step  the  -at  of  personal  assiinilc- 

don.  and  of  use :  What  does  this  mean  to  me  ?  Is 
it  true  ?  Could  I  defend  it  ?  Do  I  disagree  with  it, 
and  why  ?  How  can  I  use,  apply,  follow,  live  it  ? 
How   make   it  live   in   the   minds   and   lives   of  my 

r   leaving  this   c.\rt  of  m\-  subject  I  want  to 

:    ±   same  qusJir  I  made  in  speaking  of 

:    r  :      :      r  -    :!ramatic  imagination.      WTien  I  speak 

-.  _  -cher's  need  to  ifw^*a'as  well  asyir/ 

1  -  r  of  that  which  he  teaches.  I  do 

'  -  imply  that  the  pupil  should 
:.  ~  ^e  with  equal   explicitness. 

It  is  aes  well  that  he  should  hear,  or  at  once 

make  for  himself,  a  clear  and  definite  formulation, 
and  it  is  sometimes  better  that  the  moral  or  the  prin- 
ciple should  remain  just  beneath  tiie  surfe.ce,  ready 
to  break  through  of  itself  in  due  time.  The  hill 
discussion  of  this  point  does  not  belong  to  the  present 
subject-  The  point  I  am  now  making  is  that  the 
teacher  at  any  rate  must  be  clearly  conscious  of  that 
which  he  is  teaching  as  a  rational  whole,  and  he 
must  be  conscious  of  the  meaning  of  that  whole  for 
himself  and  for  his  pujnls.  For  if  the  teacher  have 
this  clear  view  of  the  way,  he  will  be  able  to  lead 
die  pupil  toward  the  light  where  he  can  see  for  him- 
self; but  if  the  teacher  have  it  not,  he  will  be  as  the 
blind  leading  the  blind,  where  both  fell  into  the 
ditch. 

In  treating  of  the  teacher  as  poet  and  jdnlosfiiiiier 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  I47 

I  have  spoken  as  if  the  teacher's  work  were  confined 

to  the  teaching  of  concrete  passages,  like   catechiBm, 

the  stories  of  Scripture.      I  have  not  for-   ^^<^"  ^°™- 

pared  w:th 

gotten  that  the  teacher  murt  also  prepare  the  Bible  fcr 
to  teach  relatively  abstract  matter  such  as  ^^^^i^- 
that  found  in  the  Catechism,  or  in  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount.  But  the  difference  between  teaching 
a  concrete  passage  and  an  abstract  text  is  only 
apparent.  In  the  story  the  teacher  must  construct 
in  his  own  mind  a  fabric  which  is  partly  particular 
and  partly  general :  he  must  fill  in  colour,  and  atmo- 
sphere, and  detail,  and  he  must  find  the  meaning; 
and  so  make  the  story  live.  In  the  Catechism  he 
must  do  precisely  the  same  thing :  he  must  make 
the  dead  words  live,  by  clothing  them  with  imager}^ 
which  is,  as  it  were,  flesh  and  blood  to  them,  and 
must  breathe  into  them  the  breath  of  human  sym- 
pathy and  human  application.  The  only  difference 
is  in  the  data.  In  the  one  case — the  story — you 
have  given  the  concrete  and  your  problem  is  to 
invest  it  with  universal  meaning.  In  the  other  case 
— the  text  or  Catechism — you  are  given  the  universal 
and  your  problem  is  to  invest  it  with  particular  signi- 
ficance and  application.  In  either  case  you  are  to 
give  the  touch  that  makes  alive :  for  the  particular 
deed  is  not  alive  except  it  be  lighted  up  by  the  word, 
and  the  general  word  is  not  alive  except  it  be  clothed 
upon  by  a  deed. 

II.    And  now  we  com^e  to  the  second  element  in 
the  teacher's    preparation.      For  it  is    not  n.  The 
enough  that  the  teacher  know  the  subject  he   P^P^- 
is  to  teach.      He  must  also  knov.-  the  person  he  is  to 


14^  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

teach.  It  is  not  enough  that  he  accomphsh  the  feat 
of  putting  himself  at  the  point  of  view  of  Peter  and 
John,  of  David  and  Abraham ;  he  must  also  get  on 
the  inside  of  each  member  of  his  class,  and  look  out 
on  life  through  his  eyes,  be  circumscribed  with  his 
limitations  of  imagery  and  of  language,  feel  with  his 
feelings,  like  with  his  likes,  burn  with  his  burnings. 
The  teacher  must  be  his  subject  before  he  can  teach 
it.  He  must  be  his  pupil  before  he  can  teach  him. 
For  only  thus  can  he  find  the  point  of  contact 
between  both. 

This  principle  finds  illustration  every  time  a 
teacher  translates  his  thought  into  terms  of  the  child's 
understanding,  explaining  what  he  has  not  seen  by 
The  princi-  what  he  has  seen ;  as  when  the  teacher 
pie  applied,  helps  the  child  to  understand  the  draft  of 
a  stove  by  showing  him  the  draft  in  a  lamp-chimney; 
or  teaches  the  child,  who  knows  fog  but  not  steam, 
that  steam  is  a  kind  of  fog;  and  to  another  child,  who 
knows  steam  but  not  fog,  he  explains  fog  as  a  kind 
of  steam.  A  teacher  who  has  little  regard  to  this 
need  of  sacrificing  one's  own  point  of  view  and 
entering  into  the  consciousness  of  the  one  he  is  try- 
ing to  teach,  will  be  apt,  when  explaining  the 
curious  phenomenon  of  liquid  air — how  it  boils  when 
placed  on  ice,  to  say  that  the  liquid  air  is  so  much 
colder  than  the  ice  that  it  boils  when  placed  on  it, 
and  will  mystify  his  pupils,  for  who  ever  heard  of  a 
thing  boiling  because  it  was  colder  than  something 
else  }  The  true  teacher  will  readily  resolve  the 
mystery  by  reducing  to  a  common  denominator — 
either  saying  that  liquid  air  boils  on  ice  because  ice 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL   TEACHER.  149 

is  so  much  hotter  than  liquid  air,  or  that  the  tea- 
kettle boils  over  fire  because  the  water  is  so  much 
colder  than  the  fire.  Skill  in  this  fine  art  of  reducing- 
ideas  to  a  common  denominator  is  the  sine  qua  nan 
of  all  good  teaching. 

The  good  teacher  drives  his  ideas  in  pairs,  has  at 
least  two  strings  to  every  bow.  If  he  be  a  geography - 
teacher,    wishing    to    give   an  idea   of  the 

•i      1         r   A  1      1         1  T^i  1       Illustrations. 

magnitude  oi  Alaska,  he  says:  "  rlace  the 
original  thirteen  colonies  down  on  Alaska ;  now  turn 
them  over  as  if  their  edge  were  a  hinge ;  turn  them 
over  again,  and  you  have  enough  territory  yet  un- 
covered to  hold  all  of  Europe."  Or  if  density  of 
population  be  the  subject,  he  will  say:  "Take  the 
entire  population  of  the  United  States  and  put  them 
in  Texas,  and  the  density  is  no  greater  than  in 
Belgium."  Or  if  he  be  a  Latin  teacher,  he  will  be 
continually  shocking  his  pupils  into  a  livelier  con- 
sciousness by  such  means  as  paraphrasing  the  Latin 
proverb  **  You  can't  squeeze  water  out  of  a  pum- 
ice," by,  "You  can't  suck  blood  out  of  a  turnip." 
Sabiira,  a  street  in  Rome,  he  will  paraphrase  by 
* '  Bowery  ' ' ;  trojiigenas,  by  ' '  upper  ten  "  or  "  first 
families  of  Virginia";  endromis,  a  woollen  cloak 
worn  by  gladiators,  by  "  sweater  "  ;  toga  and  alceiis^ 
by  "frock  coat  and  patent  leathers";  and  the 
phrase  gladins  avi\  which  boys  will  always  translate, 
a  sword  of  a  grandfather,  or  the  sword  of  the  grand- 
father, or  a  sword  of  the  grandfather,  all  of  which  are 
mere  words,  he  will  translate  by  the  more  modern  and 
real  and  common-sensible  '' grandfather  s  sivord.'' 
And  if  as  the  result  of  his  efforts  he  overhears  his 


ISO  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

pupils  on  the  playground  saying,  "Awful  socks  for 
old  Caesar  when  that  chap  Ariovistus  said  he'd  no 
business  in  his  Gaul,"  he  will  not  be  shocked,  he 
will  rejoice ;  for  has  he  not  here  a  proof  that  a  spark 
from  the  subject  has  caught  the  tinder  of  the  child's 
mind  ? 

I  once  heard  a  great  teacher  teach  the  Book  of 
Amos  to  a  class  of  over  five  hundred  pupils.  The 
first  verse  was  one  of  those  things  that  seem  formal 
and  perfunctory  until  you  see  their  significance. 
*'  The  words  of  Amos,  who  was  among  the  herdmen 
of  Tekoa,  which  he  saw  concerning  Israel  in  the 
days  of  Uzziah  king  of  Judah,  and  in  the  days  of 
Jeroboam  the  son  of  Joash  king  of  Israel,  two  years 
before  the  earthquake.  "  "  Why, ' '  said  the  teacher, 
"here  we  have  a  title-page,  with  the  name  of  the 
author  and  who  he  was,  and  the  date."  In  Pro- 
fessor Moulton's  "Modern  Reader's  Bible"  you 
will  see  the  title-pages  written  as  such ;  and  you  will 
find  also  poetry  and  dialogue  written  as  poetry  and 
dialogue  are  usually  written,  and  orations  like  those 
of  Moses  in  Deuteronomy  called  by  their  proper 
modern  name,  to  the  enhancing  of  our  ability  to 
comprehend  their  meaning  and  their  marvellous 
power ;  for,  when  the  orations  of  Moses  are  reduced 
to  a  common  denominator  with  those  of  Cicero  and 
Demosthenes,  we  are  at  once  able  to  place  them 
where  they  belong,  immeasurably  beyond  both. 

Out  of  this  general  principle  there  grows  the 
special  rule  that  the  teacher  must  be  careful  how  he 
introduces  a  subject  to  a  class.  Now  at  first  thought 
it  seems  as  if  it  ought  not  to  make  such  a  vital  differ- 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  151 

ence  what  the  first  step  is — whether  the  boy  learned 
his  Catechism  question  first,  and  tlien  had  „  ciairuie 
it  explained  to  him,  or  first  had  it  ex-  from  general 
plained  to  him  and  then  learned  it.  He  P"^"P  ®' 
has  to  learn  it  some  time  and  he  has  at  some  time 
to  have  it  explained.  What  difference  which  comes 
first  .''  But  it  really  does  make  a  great  deal  of  differ- 
ence in  most  things,  doesn't  it.'*  whether  w^e  begin 
at  the  right  end  or  the  wrong  end,  whether  we  put 
the  cart  before  the  horse  or  behind  him,  whether  we 
begin  with  the  soup  or  with  confetti,  whether  we  step 
down  from  the  second-story  window^  by  the  aid  of  a 
ladder  previously  placed  in  position,  or  step  down 
w^ithout  the  aid  of  the  ladder  placed  in  position  after 
Ave  had  had  our  fall,  and  whether  we  learn  to  slide 
down  a  rope  before  the  fire  or  afterw^ards.  And 
these  figures  are  not  so  far  out  of  the  way;  for  a 
proper  beginning  does  serve,  does  it  not?,  as  a  ladder 
to  help  us  climb  step  by  step  to  the  truth  we  are 
trying  to  understand.  The  condition  of  a  child's 
mind,  after  he  has  been  given  a  form  of  words  of  the 
meaning  of  which  he  has  as  yet  no  inkling,  is  not 
unlike  the  condition  of  a  child's  stomach  when  he 
has  been  fed  a  heavy  meal  for  which  he  has  no 
appetite.  It  is  possible  in  either  case  to  help  the 
child  to  some  semblance  of  digestion,  or  at  least  to 
keep  the  dose  from  killing  him,  but  not  without  loss, 
and  perhaps  not  without  producing  in  the  child  a 
rooted  distaste  for  that  kind  of  food. 

A  fact  or  idea  unloaded  upon  a  mind  not  made 
ready  to  receive  it  is  like  a  minister  supplying  a 
strange  pulpit  in  an  inhospitable  community.     There 


152  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL   TEACHER. 

is  no  one  at  the  train  to  meet  him ;  no  one  offers  to 
entertain  him ;  the  inn  has  but  one  bed  and  that  is 
not  made  up,  and  there  is  no  fire  in  the  room.  The 
people  come  to  church,  but  they  do  not  greet  him 
before  the  service,  or  respond  during  the  service,  or 
thank  him  after  the  service ;  and  the  man  is  so  chilled 
that  the  virtue  in  him  is  frozen  at  its  source.  Some 
men  there  are  who  cannot  be  frozen  out,  and  there 
are  some  truths  that  will  live  and  thrive  anywhere, 
whether  they  be  prepared  for  or  not.  But  in  most 
cases  some  sort  of  preparation  is  necessary.  This 
may  take  the  form  of  the  arousing  of  curiosity 
regarding  that  which  is  to  be  presented ;  or  of  a 
demand  for  the  solution  of  a  problem.  It  may  be 
accomplished  through  establishing  emotional  or  in- 
tellectual congruity :  by  arousing  feelings  akin  to  the 
tone  of  the  story,  or  by  calling  to  remembrance 
kindred  facts  or  ideas,  and  stationing  them  at  the 
threshold  as  a  kind  of  reception  committee, — for  it 
is  the  '  law  of  the  mental  jungle  '  that  only  on  the 
introduction  of  some  one  already  in  can  entrance  be 
granted  to  him  who  is  without. 

In  planning  this  preparation  the  teacher  should 
remember  that  there  is  possible  an  artistic  and  ele- 
gant way,  whereby  meanings  are  conveyed  without 
explicit  or  formal  statement,  whereby  the  subject  of 
the  lesson  is  made  to  be  felt  without  being,  as  yet, 
formulated,  whereby  the  introduction  shades  into  the 
body  of  the  story  without  jar  or  jolt.  In  general 
I  should  say  that  the  teacher  should  aim  to  make 
the  preparation  indirect  rather  than  direct,  informal 
rather  than  formal,  and  as  brief  as  possible. 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  i53 

There  are  other  essential  qualities   and  aspects  of 
the  teacher's  knowledge  of  his  pupils,  but  the  limits 
of  my   time   forbid,    and  the  plan   of   this  Additional 
course  makes  it  unnecessary,  that  I  should  poiii^sof 

,  ,      insight  which 

enter  upon  them.      Surnce  it  to  say  that  m  a  teacher 
addition  to  the  sympathy  which  the  teacher  °®^^^' 
must  have  with  the  child's  point  of  view,  there  must 
be   the   teacher's   insight   into  the   child's   stage   of 
religious  development,  into  the  method  of  his  growth, 
into  the  difference  between  boys  and  girls,  into  the 
relative  place  of  action   and  of  contemplation,    and 
into  the  peculiar  dangers  that  beset  the  path  of  one 
who  would  provide  proper  nutrition    and    exercise. 
This  insight  is  essential.      For  if  the  teacher  have 
not  this  knowledge  and  the  skill  to  use  it,  he  will  be 
like  poor,    prying  Guildenstern,   trying   to  m^g^rated 
peep  through  the  chinks  of  Hamlet's  in-  hy Hamlet. 
scrutability.     Guildenstern,  you  remember,  forc^fd-^^^^ 
has  been  set  to  find  out   Hamlet's  secret,  study, 
and   he    know^s  no    other  way  but  plain    pumping. 
Hamlet    gives    him    a    lesson    in    pedagogy    which 
might   be   taken  to  heart  by  many  a  teacher,   and 
which  is  the  classic  argument  for  knowing  the  mind 
you  would  teach. 

**  Hamlet.    .    .    .    Will  you  play  upon  this  pipe  .? 

*' Guildenstern.  My  lord,  I  cannot. 

''  Ham.    I  pray  you. 

**  Guild.   Believe  me,  I  cannot. 

*'  Ham.    I  do  beseech  you. 

''Guild.    I  know  no  touch  of  it,  my  lord. 

"  Ham.    'Tis  as  easy  as  lying:   govern  these  ven- 
tages with  your  fingers  and  thumb,   give  it  breath 


154  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

with  your  mouth,  and  it  will  discourse  most  elegant 
music.      Look  you,  these  are  the  stops, 

**  Guild.  But  these  cannot  I  command  to  any 
utterance  of  harmony;   I  have  not  the  skill. 

*'Ham.  Why,  look  you  now,  how  unworthy  a 
thing  you  make  of  me  !  You  would  play  upon  me  ; 
you  would  seem  to  know  my  stops ;  you  would  pluck 
out  the  heart  of  my  mystery;  you  would  sound  me 
from  my  lowest  note  to  the  top  of  my  compass :  and 
there  is  much  music,  excellent  voice,  in  this  little 
organ;  yet  cannot  you  make  it  speak.  'Sblood,  do 
you  think  I  am  easier  to  be  played  on  than  a  pipe  } 
Call  me  what  instrument  you  will,  though  you  can 
fret  me,  you  cannot  play  upon  me." 

III.   And  now  we   come  to  that  in  the  teacher's 

preparation  which  lies  at  the  root  of  everything  else, 

and    is    the    fundamental    dynamic    in    all 
III.  Tho  ,  .  ,  .  ,  .  1     T 

teacher        •  teachmg — a  something  which   1  can  try  to 

himself.  describe  but  hardly  know  what  to  name. 
I  mean  the  quality  that  enables  the  teacher  of  re- 
ligious truth  to  speak  as  one  having  authority,  and 
not  as  one  who  takes  things  at  second  hand,  or  as 
one  who  has  allowed  himself  to  be  overwhelmed  by 
a  load  of  conventional  lore  which  he  cannot  make  his 
very  own,  or  as  one  w^ho  does  not  know  whom  he 
has  believed.  But  let  us  here  distinguish  between 
two  things  radically  different.  For  there  is  an 
T,  .      T     ,  authority  that  works  from  without  and  there 

Lxternal  and  -^ 

internal         is   ail   authority   that    works    from   within ; 

ori  y.  ^^^  ^^^^  working  of  these  is  vitally  different 
each  from  the  other. 

External  authority  says,   *'You   must  believe  be- 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  155 

cause  I  say  so,  or  because  the  Book  says  so."  Its 
attitude  is  one  of  compulsion  from  without.  The 
voice  of  authority  that  speaks  from  Vvithin  says,  "I 
must  beheve  because  I  cannot  do  otherwise — because 
this  is  the  truth,  and  I  know  it.  "  External  authority 
says,  "  This  is  true  because  it  is  the  Bible."  Inner 
authority  says,  "This  is  the  Bible  because  it  is 
true."  The  teacher,  who  depends  on  outer  compul- 
sion, is  continually  desirous  of  making-  his  pupils 
think  as  he  thinks,  and  believe  as  he  believes.  The 
teacher,  who  aims  only  to  arouse  the  inner  voice  in 
the  depths  of  the  child's  own  soul,  seeks 
only  to  help  the  child  to  find  the  truth,  to  find  the 
In  the  class  of  the  former  you  will  find  a  *^^*^' 
teacher  trying-  to  teach  by  talking  at  the  pupils  and 
trying  to  convince  by  talking  them  down.  In  such 
a  class  you  will  even  see  the  questions  of  the  class 
frowned  down,  slurred  over,  postponed  till  a  later 
time  that  never  comes — as  if  questions  were  not  the 
terminal  buds  of  the  child's  growing  life.  Such  a 
teacher  is  trying  to  press  the  death-mask  of  his  own 
arrested  development  upon  the  living  faces  of  his 
pupils.  In  a  class  of  the  latter  type  the  teacher  is 
not  less  positive,  but  he  is  more  honest,  more  patient, 
and  more  fair. 

I  do  not  mean  that  teachers  of  the  former  type  are 
confined  to  the  Sunday-school,  or  that  teachers  of 
the  latter  type  are  found  only  in  secular  schools. 
Far  from  it.  And  yet  the  tendency  is  to  regard 
religious  teaching  as  the  proper  field  for  authority 
(in  the  narrower  sense),  and  secular  teaching  the 
proper  field  for  private  judgment.      And   from    this 


15^  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

distinction  there  has  arisen  that  gulf  that  tends  to 
divide  the  one  rcahii  from  the  other,  with  the  in- 
evitable result  of  making  one  realm  less  real  than 
the  other. 

It  has  often  been  thought  that  the  Bible  should  be 
looked  upon  and  treated  as  something  separate  and 
p  .      special,  to  be  read  at  set  times,  and  in  a 

tude  toward  special,  holy  tone  ;  and  to  be  interpreted  in 
a  special  way,  different  from  that  used  re- 
garding any  other  book.  This  mode  of  isolation  has 
borne  its  proper  fruit.  Led  or  forced  to  simulate 
emotions  they  had  not  had  time  to  come  by  honestly, 
the  children  brought  up  on  that  theory  developed  an 
attitude  toward  the  Bible  which  was  partly  aversion, 
partly  apathy,  and  which  was  wholly  unreal.  I 
know  of  one  girl,  reared  in  a  Christian  home,  who 
did  not  lack  intelligence  in  other  lines,  who  reached 
the  ripe  age  of  thirteen  before  she  realized  that  the 
doings  recorded  in  the  Bible  occurred  on  this  earth, 
she  having  all  along  thought  that  they  had  transpired 
in  heaven.  Let  no  one  fear  that  the  Bible  will  be 
lowered  or  shaken  by  being  treated  in  an  every-day 
common-sensible  fashion.  Let  us  not  fear  to  tell 
the  truth  about  Bible  characters.  If  some  were 
rascals,  say  so,  man-fashion,  without  fumbling  or 
evasion.  If  the  old  Israelites  attributed  to  their  God 
commands  that  outrage  our  children's  sense  of  justice 
and  mercy,  do  not  excuse  that  which  is  brutal,  or 
attribute  it  to  God,  but  rather  explain  how  such 
things  were  the  fruit  of  a  rude  age,  point  out  the 
steps  of  growth,  and  the  contrasts  between  the  Law 
of  Moses  and  the  Gospel  of  Christ.      And  when  the 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER.  157 

child  asks  the  inevitable  question,  "Is  it  true  ?  "  or 
*'  Is  it  fact  or  story  ?  "  if  you  do  not  know,  say  so; 
and  if  you  can,  add  that  this  was  a  story  the  Israelitish 
mothers  told  their  children,  or  that  it  is  certainly  a 
beautiful  story,  or  that  it  doesn't  seem  to  make  very 
much  difference  whether  it  really  happened  or  not, 
for  we  can  easily  see  what  it  means.  It  is  a  fatal 
blunder  to  attempt  to  prop  up  the  Bible  by  external 
aids.  If  the  Bible  is  worthy  of  love  and  reverence, 
the  child  rightly  taught  will  inevitably  come  to  love 
and  revere  it.  If  you  force  reverence,  or  the  sem- 
blance of  love,  you  destroy  that  which  must  be  at  the 
root  of  both — the  honest  judgment,  the  personal 
liking,  and  the  sense  of  reality. 

For  the  same  reason  I  urge  the  looking  at  Jesus 
Christ  first  of  all  as  a  man.  Let  the  child  dwell  on 
his  manliness  before  dwelling  on  his  God-   ^ 

Jesus  Ohnst 

hood.  If  the  child  learns  to  like  Jesus,  the  in  the  child- 
man,  as  a  dear  friend,  he  will  be  the  more  ^^^®' 
ready  to  worship  the  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God.  This 
order  seems  to  me  essential.  If  you  begin  with  the 
supernatural  side,  the  natural  side  can  never  be 
quite  so  natural.  But  if  you  begin  with  the  natural 
side,  you  will  be  in  due  time  compelled  to  say  with 
Thomas,  '*My  Lord  and  my  God."  There  are  ex- 
ceptional cases ;  but  even  those  not  thus  compelled 
to  believe  are  certainly  in  far  better  case  than  if  they 
had  begun  with  formally  accepting  the  Godhead  of 
Christ  and  had  never  reached — and  many  never  do 
reach — the  human  friendship  of  Jesus. 

And  now  let  me  distinctly  set  forth  what  I  have 
not  said  or  meant.      I  have  not  said  or  meant  that 


158  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL    TEACHER. 

we  should  not  accept  that  which  we   do  not  under*- 
stand.      And  I  have  not  said,  and  do  not 

Conclusion.       .  111  1 

nitend  to  say,  that  we  should  not  teach 
children  anything  they  do  not  at  the  moment  under- 
stand fully.  I  have  not  said  that  we  should  not  con- 
form for  a  time,  at  least,  to  conventions  into  which  we 
cannot  at  the  time  enter  with  the  heart.  And  I  have 
not  said  that  the  teacher,  however  determined  to  be, 
with  Rossetti,  "one  of  those  whose  little  is  their 
own,"  and  determined  to  let  his  pupils  stand  upon 
the  solid  rock  of  their  own  sense  of  what  is  good  and 
true  and  beautiful,  shall  not  be  respectful  and  even 
reverent  toward  that  which  has  long  been  sacred  to 
others,  but  which  he  has  not  yet  grown  into  himself; 
and  seek  to  inspire  his  pupils  with  a  like  spirit. 

You  will  observe  that  in  discussing  the  teacher's 
preparation  I  have  not  mentioned  lists  of  books  to 
be  read,  or  spoken  of  the  teacher's  need  of  becom- 
ing familiar  with  authorities  and  helps ;  with  ancient 
manners,  customs,  and  geography;  with  modern 
trades  and  occupations;  with  pictures  and  poems; 
with  the  principles  of  education  and  the  practice  of 
those  who  are  masters  of  the  art  of  teaching, — 
though  I  believe  that  the  teachers'  study  of  all  these 
things  should  be  thorough  and  constant.  I  have 
thought  it  a  better  plan,  in  treating  a  theme  like  this, 
to  aim  to  set  forth  an  ideal  of  good  teaching,  rather 
than  to  speak  of  many  things  a  teacher  should  know 
in  order  to  teach ;  believing  that  we  touch  the  springs 
of  action  better  by  giving  a  desire  for  the  end  than 
by  pointing  out  means  in  detail,  and  that  "  He  who 
loves  flowers  will  find  out  all  about  soils." 


VII. 


THE    RELIGIOUS    CONTENT   OF   THE 
CHILD-MIND. 

By  President  G.  Stanley  Hall,  D.D.,  of  Clark  University, 


SYNOPSIS   OF   LECTURE  VII. 

Study  of  Child-development. 

The  child  the  type  of  the  species. 

Difficulties  of  the  Sunday-school. 

Child-evolution. 

Stages  passed  through. 

Necessity  for  this  law  of  development. 

Child's  religious  evolution  the  same  in  manner. 

Illustrated  by  Fetish- worship. 

And  by  Nature-love. 

And  by  Natural  Religions  in  the  world. 

Nature-study  in  the  Sunday-school. 

Power  of  Nature  in  Primitive  Religions. 

Natural  religions, — study  of,  in  the  Sunday-schools. 

Personal  application  of  Christ's  Saving  Grace  best  taught  at  Confir- 

mation  Age. 
The  Adolescent  Period  of  Youth. 
Danger  of  neglect  of  these  Principles  at  this  time. 
James  Stuart  Mill's  View. 
Adolescence  and  Conversion. 
Science  and  Sin. 

Awful  results  of  Sin  on  the  Conscience. 
Psychology  and  the  Bible. 
Childhood  the  best  period  of  life. 
Biology's  Witness. 
Childhood  the  noblest  humanity. 
Teaching  best  suited  for  the  child-age,  before  adolescence. 


THE    RELIGIOUS    CONTENT    OF    THE 
CHILD-MIND. 

If  I  were  a  clergyman,  as  I  wish,  indeed,  I  might 
be  for  an  hour,  to  speak  upon  this  subject,  and  if  I 
could  take  a  text,  it  would  be,  **  Suffer  little  chil- 
dren to  come  unto  me :  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. " 

I  shall  undertake,  as  best  I  may,  to  outline  some  of 
the  results  of  the  recent  movement  for  the  study  of 
the  child  nature,  which  bear  upon  the  work  of  the 
Sunday-school,  and  which  seem  to  me  may  be  help- 
ful for  all  who  may  be  superintendents  or  teachers  in 
it. 

There  has  been,  as  many  of  you  are  aware,  within 
the  last  decade,  a  general  movement,  that  has  spread 
throughout  the  civilized  world,  for  studying  g^^^    ^ 
the  mental  and  physical  traits  of  childhood.    CMld-de- 
Children   are   measured   with   the   greatest  ^^  ^v^^^  • 
minuteness.       Every    dimension    of   the    hand,    the 
brain,  the  skull,  the  chest,  has  been  minutely  studied, 
in  order  to  ascertain  the  rate  of  growth  of  the  body, 
and   the   circumstances   that  must  further   and   that 
must  retard  the  growth.     These  studies  are  all  made 
upon  very  many  children,   and  the  average  is  then 
computed,  and  has  chief  significance. 

i6i 


l62    THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OE  THE  CHILD-MIND. 

But  it  is  of  none  of  this  that  I  wish  to  speak  now, 
but  rather  of  a  still  larger  body  of  investigations 
upon  the  mental  content  and  the  emotional  activities 
of  childhood. 

And  let  me  preface  what  I  have  to  say,  by  the 
general  conclusion  of  all  these  biological  investiga- 
tions. It  is  that  childhood  is  the  very  best  period 
of  human  life;  that  then  all  human  faculties  are  at 
their  best;  that  it  is  the  paradise  from  which  growth 
is  always  more  or  less  of  a  fall.  The  child  represents 
the  species,  the  general  form  of  human  nature. 
Adults  are  specialized  in  this,  that,  or  the  other  direc- 
tion. Men,  particularly,  who  are  far  more  special- 
ized than  women,  have  to  sacrifice,  always,  part  of 
their  nature  for  the  completer  development  of  other 
parts. 

The  modern  conception,  then,  of  childhood  is 
that  its  later  stages,  at  least,  are  almost  always,  in 
all  modern  civilizations,  more  or  less  of  a  decline, 
and  that  Wordsworth  was  right  when  he  spoke  of 
the  child  as  coming  from  a  far  country,  with  partial 
forgetfulness.  It  is  as  if  the  old  pre-existence  theo- 
ries of  the  soul  were  more  or  less  true. 

In  all  its  activities,  physiological  and  psychical, 
then,  the  child  is  nearer  the  type  of  the  species,  and 
has  less  of  the  limitations  of  the  individual, 
the  type  of  The  doors  of  the  prison-house  have  closed 
the  species,  upon  him,  far  less  tightly  than  they  have 
upon  us.  It  used  to  be  said,  in  the  days  when  per- 
haps the  recognition  of  the  intuitive  power  of  woman 
was  at  its  very  best, — seventy-five  or  a  hundred  years 
ago,    in    the    time    of   Goethe, — that    the   w^oman's 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND.    163 

instinct  was  the  surest  of  all  compasses  by  which 
those  who  wished  to  1^0  back  to  first  principles  and 
base  their  work  on  their  study  of  human  nature 
should  act : — as  Goethe  says,  '  *  das  ewige  weibliche, 
—  "the  eternally  womanly."  Woman's  instincts 
are  greater  instincts,  are  of  greater  breadth  and  are 
less  specialized,  than  man's.  So  that  woman's 
instinct  was  thought  to  be,  by  these  investigators  of 
that  time,  the  highest  in  the  world.  But  we  are 
gradually  coming  to  recognise  something  that  is  still 
more  generic, — namely,  childhood  at  its  best.  It  is 
the  most  truly  and  really  divine  thing  in  the  world. 
It  is  the  most  complete  and  whole  thing  we  have. 
So  that  the  boundaries  of  the  child's  nature  are  so 
wide,  its  sympathies,  its  power  of  appreciation,  its 
capacity  to  grasp,  at  least  in  a  cursory  and  superficial 
way,  something  from  all  the  environment  of  know- 
ledge or  moral  character  that  is  about  it,  are  so  great, 
that  w^e  know  that,  in  everything  that  is  essential  to 
high  and  holy  and  happy  living,  the  boundaries  of 
the  child's  nature  are  far  more  nearly  coterminous 
with  those  of  the  race  than  are  those  of  the  adult, 
or  even  of  the  woman. 

The   conditions   under  which  the    Sunday-school 
works    are    hard    conditions — very    hard.      A    little 
time,  but  once  a  week,  perhaps,  or  twice;   Difficulties 
teachers  that  rarely,  if  ever,  have  any  pro-   oftheSun- 
fessional   training, — and  that,   too,   in  this 
day  when  professional  training  in  education  is  a  real 
science;     when    the    character    of  the    professional 
teaching  never  stood  so  high  and  never  was  growing 
so  rapidly.      In  that   time   the   Sunday-school   has, 


1 64   THE  RELIGIOUS  CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND. 

less  than  any  other  department  in  the  whole  educa- 
tional field,  felt  the  influence,  on  the  whole,  of  these 
unfolding  movements. 

Then,  besides  that,  we  are  suffering  under  the 
influence  of  the  "Uniform-lesson  System."  It  has 
done  a  great  work  in  the  world.  It  has  brought 
into  sympathy  and  rapport  the  great  body  of  Bible- 
teachers  in  the  world.  But  it  has  done  its  best  work, 
and  has  now  a  limitation  in  so  many  places  and 
ways,  that  those  of  us  who  are  familiar  with  Sunday- 
school  Avork,  I  think,  will  hesitate  a  good  while 
before  we  are  willing  to  say  that  those  are  not  right 
who  cjeclare  that  its  usefulness  is  at  an  end,  and  that 
we  should  supersede  it  by  far  more  individual  train- 
ing, in  subject-matter  and  methods,  even  in  the 
Infant  Sunday-school. 

The  true  source  of  appeal  in  all  matters  educa- 
tional, then,  is  human  nature  and  human  need.  So 
that  all  religion  has  done  its  great  work  in  the  world 
because  it  has  rightly  appreciated  and  correctly  met 
the  great  and  most  crying  needs  of  humanity.  And 
so  education  is  now  making  an  appeal  to  first  prin- 
ciples. It  is  going  back  and  asking,  by  all  the 
methods  that  it  can  command.  What  is  the  real  nature 
of  childhood,  and  What  are  the  deeper  interests  of 
childhood  }  What  are  its  real  capacities  }  What 
kind  of  mental  food  does  it  need,  in  order  to  bring 
every  power  of  mind  and  body  to  the  fullest  and  best 
development  of  which  each  child  is  capable  1 

That  is  the  work.  The  bond,  especially  in  re- 
ligious work,  should  be  a  personal  tie  from  the  heart 
of  every  child  to  the  heart  of  every  teacher.      We 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD- MIND.    165 

know  that  the  Day-school  suffers  very  much  under 
the  uniformity  of  the  modern  class-graded  system, 
and  we  are  now,  in  very  many  ways,  trying,  and 
successfully  in  many  directions,  to  emancipate  our- 
selves from  the  rigidity  of  this  procrustean  grade 
system,  so  that  the  school  shall  be  a  thing  of  rescue 
—  a  rescue  not  merely  from  sin,  but  a  rescue  from 
the  calamity  of  mistaken  vocations.  To  discover 
the  thing  that  a  child  can  do  best  is  a  work  of 
rescue.  It  is  a  child-saving,  a  career-saving,  an 
economizing  kind  of  work — greater,  perhaps,  than 
any  other  kind  of  educational  work  that  can  be  done. 
Now  when  we  look  at  the  child,  what  do  we  find  .-^ 
We  find  this  great  result,  which  came  with  surprise 
to  many  of  us  as  it  slowly  dawned,  and  as  child- 
the  hand  mounted  up  and  became  so  evolution. 
formidable  that  not  one  single  person  here  present 
can  look  the  facts  in  the  face  and  get  the  common 
information  that  is  now  available,  without  accepting 
it.  It  is  this :  that  the  child  normally  represents  the 
history  of  the  human  race.  That  it  has,  in  its  early 
stages,  a  great  deal  of  the  animal  about  it.  There 
is  a  great  deal  in  its  physical  and  psychical  nature 
that  suggests  the  higher  animals.  We  know  that 
every  child  has  at  least  133  rudimentary  organs  in 
its  body  (so  called),  which  are  atrophied,  and  which 
suggest  that  something  a  little  like  what  the  evolu- 
tionists tell  us  must  be  true.  Why  is  it,  for  instance, 
that  a  few  months  before  birth  I  had  an  immense 
organ  here,  for  breathing  in  the  water — complete  gills 
— which  gradually  transformed,  so  that  soon  after  birth 
the  upper  part  of  them  had  been  twisted  around  into 


1 66    THE  RELIGIOUS  CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND. 

the  nostrils,  the  lower  part  had  been  turned  around 
and  grown  into  the  vocal  cords,  another  part  had 
been  spiralled  around  into  the  cochlea,  or  the  organs 
of  hearing  ?  Why  is  it  that  I  was  a  gill-breathing 
animal  at  one  time,  suggesting  aquatic  life  ?  Why 
is  it,  too,  that  the  infant  has  all  the  caudal  appen- 
dages ?  Why  is  it  that  w^e  have  the  vermiform 
appendix,  and  why  all  these  133  different  organs, 
of  absolutely  no  use,  but  many  of  them  a  positive 
disadvantage  in  our  human  stage  ?  What  do  they 
mean  ?  They  mean  that  we  pass  up  the  w^hole  his- 
tory of  animal  life,  and  that  from  the  time  a  few 
months  before  birth,  up  to  maturity,  every  child 
Stages  passed  represents  in  his  history  every  stage  of  ani- 
through.  mal  life,  as  repeated  since  the  world  began. 
You  and  I  have  all  been  a  union  of  similar  organs: 
those  organs  have  divided,  and  those  halves  divided 
again,  until  at  last  it  has  appeared  that  we  were 
going  to  be  an  invertebrate,  then  a  protovertebrate, 
then  a  metazoan,  then  a  vertebrate,  and  then  one  of 
the  higher  vertebrates,  and  then  a  quadrumanal,  and 
then  a  bimanal  creature,  and  finally  a  man,  and 
then,  perhaps,  a  man  of  high  character. 

Of  course  the  early  stages  are  passed  over  with 
great  rapidity.  They  are  telescoped  into  one 
another,  so  that  it  is  with  great  difficulty  that  they 
can  be  detected.  We  have  lived  thousands — we 
don't  know:  possibly  millions — of  years  in  a  day, 
an  hour,  perhaps  a  minute,  in  the  earliest  stages  of 
our  development.  But  something,  we  know  not 
what,  some  unknown  and  inscrutable  formative  prin- 
ciple, has  pushed  us  on  and  up  through  all  the  lower 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MlND.    167 

stages,  and  it  has  persevered  until  at  last  we  have 
reached  the  highest  of  all — human  organisms — and 
have  developed  even  a  brain  and  nervous  system  — 
that  most  marvellous  of  all  material  things: — four 
thousand  million  nerve-elements,  on  the  average; 
every  cell  composed  of  scores  of  millions  of  mole- 
cules, and  broken  up  into  a  number  of  scores  of 
parts,  invisible  even  to  the  microscope: — the  brain, 
the  only  organ  through  which  God  has  ever  spoken 
to  the  world,  or  ever  can;  the  mouthpiece  of  the 
Absolute,  through  which  every  revelation  has  come. 
All  that  has  been  developed  in  us  in  a  few  years 
from  beginnings  that,  so  far  as  any  method  of  science 
can  discern,  are  on  a  level  with  the  lowest  forms  of 
animal  life.  So  that  there  is  a  great  deal  of  what 
might  be  described  as  the  tadpole-tail  function,  if 
you  will  accept  that  familiar  parable.  I  Necessity  for 
sometimes  used  to  ask  my  students  how  tliislaw. 
many  of  them  believed  that  the  tadpole's  tail  ever 
fell  off  when  it  became  a  frog;  and  most  of  them 
thought  it  did.  But  every  naturalist  knows  that 
there  never  was  a  tadpole's  tail  in  the  world  that  fell 
off:  and  that  is  the  point  of  all  we  have  to  say. 
Never  a  tadpole  lost  his  tail.  It  was  absorbed :  and 
the  very  matter  and  blood  that  went  to  make  tail  was 
simply  made  over  again  into  legs.  And  if  the  tad- 
pole's tail  is  cut  off,  then  the  legs  never  grow,  and  the 
frog  is  condemned  to  pass  his  life  in  a  lowxr  aquatic 
stage.  He  never  becomes  an  amphibian,  and  never 
gets  up  on  the  land.  That  is  the  parable  of  the  tad- 
pole's tail.  There  are  plenty  of  others,  with  rudi- 
mentary histories   that   illustrate   the   same   general 


l68    THE  RELIGIOUS  CONTENT  OF  THE  CHILD-MIND. 

law,  which  is  that  the  lower  organ  has  to  be  devel- 
oped, or  else  the  higher,  which  supersedes  it,  will 
never  grow.  You  may  say,  * '  To  develop  the  frog 
nature  of  this  tadpole,  I  will  clip  off  this  tail,  so  that 
the  energy  will  go  into  the  legs  and  he  will  get 
mature  a  little  earlier,  and  the  legs  will  be  strong. ' ' 
That  is  what  we  do  in  the  training.  We  forget  that 
Froebel  was  right  when  he  said,  ''Every  child 
must  live  out  completely  every  complete  stage  of 
childhood,  or  he  can  never  develop  into  complete 
maturity. ' '  So  that  when  I  say  every  child  recapitu- 
lates the  history  of  the  race,  I  say  that  that  must  be 
taken  as  the  cornerstone  of  the  new  pedagogy,  in 
religion  as  in  everything  else. 

Now  Christianity  came  in  God's  own  appointed 
time.  It  came  late  in  the  history  of  the  world:  if 
scientists  are  right,  very  late.  But  why  ?  Because 
mankind  w^as  not  ripe  for  it.  And  the  child  has  to 
repeat  a  great  many  of  these  pre-Christian  stages  of 
evolution  in  its  own  life. 

One  of  the  most  striking  and  interesting  results  of 

modern    psychological    studies,    or    studies    in    the 

g"rowth  of  the  souls  of  children,  consists  in 
Child's  °  .  .  ,  1  11. 

Eeiigious       showmg,  With  sucli  overwhelmmg  masses  of 

Evolution.  evidence,  how  every  child  repeats  the  his- 
tory of  the  race  in  its  religious  development.  It  is 
a  fetich-worshipper.  Every  child  that  has  a  fair 
chance  at  life  passes  through  the  stage  of  being  a 
fetich-worshipper.  Examine  the  contents  of  a  boy's 
pocket.  You  will  find,  very  probably,  a  pretty 
stone,  a  bit  of  lead,  a  curious  piece  of  coal  or  old 
junk   iron   or   ore — a   lot  of  these  things;  a  knot  of 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND.    169 

wood  with  a  curious  spot  in  it — something  that  he 
has,  perhaps,  carried  in  his  pocket  for  a  long-  time. 
In  severe  weather  it  is  wrapped  up,  so  that  it  won't 
feel  cold.  It  is  taken  with  the  child  wherever  he 
goes,  so  that  it  will  have  been  to  New  York,  Phila- 
delphia and  Boston,  and  shared  the  child's  experi- 
ences. The  temperature  is  regulated  for  its  benefit. 
And  sometimes  we  find  this  fetich-worship  surviving 
very  curiously  in  different  persons.  I  know  a  lady 
who  has  a  string  of  spools  that  she  played  with  as  a 
baby.  She  can't  go  to  sleep  without  that  Petich-wor- 
string  of  spools.  She  keeps  it  in  her  top  ^Mp, 
bureau  drawer,  and,  whenever  she  is  specially  tired, 
sits  down  and  gets  it  out  and  takes  a  good  look  at 
it,  and  is  refreshed  and  rested  thereby.  That  is 
simply  an  exceptional  survival  of  the  fetichism  that 
is  common  to  all  children.  Some  toy,  some  utterly 
unconsidered  trifle,  is,  by  an  instinct,  almost  always 
frowned  upon  and  therefore  somewhat  secreted  and 
never  mentioned  to  adults, — but  by  an  instinct  that 
is  almost  universal  in  childhood,  some  insignificant 
trifle  is  invested  with  many  of  the  attributes  of  per- 
sonality. It  has  something  in  it  that  corresponds 
with  something  or  other  in  the  soul  of  the  child. 

And  so  it  goes  on  up  to  higher  and  higher  stages. 
Who  has  not  seen  the  passionate  love  of  children 
for  particular  flowers  }  How  many  children  in  the 
country  find  a  chance  to  know  enough  of  Nature  to 
feel  its    real    influences   and    to   learn  that 

TVT    .  1  1  •    1      •     .1  r      .  1-    •  r  Illustrated 

Nature-love  which  is  the    nrst    religion   of  byNature- 
every  race  that  has  existed  in  the  world  .'*   ^°^®' 
Who  has  not  seen   cases  of  this   Nature-love,   very 


lyo    THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND. 

obvious  ?  The  little  girl,  perhaps,  talking  to  the 
flowers,  thinking  they  speak  to  her ;  saying  her  pray- 
ers to  them,  wishing  and  hoping  they  won't  be  cold, 
and  covering  them  up,  not  to  save  them  from  wilt- 
ing, nor  because  there  is  any  danger  of  frost,  but 
that  they  may  feel  the  warmth  she  wishes.  She 
imagines  she  hears  voices  whispering  in  the 
trees. 

Every  child  is  dwarfed  in  some  function  of  his 
soul,  who  has  not  been  brought  in  contact  with 
animal  life :  and  the  more  of  it,  the  better.  The 
animal  soul  is  described  by  some  people  as  the 
human  soul  without  the  inspiration.  Suppose,  for 
instance,  that  a  child  knows  a  peacock — has  seen  it 
strut  and  spread  its  feathers.  Suppose  it  finds  a 
parable  in  which  that  bird  is  referred  to.  It  is 
familiar  with  the  qualities  that  are  implied  in  the 
human  life.  We  say  of  a  lady,  '*  She  is  a  parable: 
she  is  a  peacock. ' '  And  so  all  other  animals  are 
psychological  specimens,  and  the  first  school  of 
human  nature,  that  precedes  all  others,  is  to  know 
them.  That  is  why  yEsop  and  all  these  many  fables 
have  had  such  far-wrought  influence  on  the  childish 
soul,  as  vehicles  by  which  morals,  and  sometimes 
even  religion  itself,  are  taught.  Children  talk  to 
their  pets,  and  believe  they  are  interested.  They 
personify  them,  as  you  know.  They  think  they  go 
to  Heaven  with  them.  They  believe  the  doll  speaks, 
and  shares  all  their  own  sympathies.  I  know  a  little 
girl  who  learned  French  in  order  to  talk  to  the 
French  doll  that  her  mother  brought  her  from  Paris, 
so  strong  was  the  doll   passion,   which   usually  de- 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD- MIND.    171 

velops  in  her  at  about  the  age  of  eight  or  nine  years, 
in  the  average  child. 

And  when  you  pass  up  higher,  you  find  these 
natural  religions  there  manifesting  themselves.  A 
son  of  a  friend  of  mine,  who  lives  in  Washington — a 
boy  about  four — some  two  or  three  years  ago,  when 
I  was  visiting  this  friend,  was  in  the  back  Natural 
door  of  the  house,  as  the  full  moon  was  B,eligion. 
rising:  and  as  I  sat  there,  I  overheard  him  saying 
something  like  this:  '*Moon,  come  down  and  speak 
to  Henny.  Good  moon,  Henny  love  you."  It 
may  not  have  been  exactly  those  words,  but  in  that 
childish  way  addressing  the  moon — a  kind  of  primi- 
tive prayer  or  orison,  or  something  of  that  sort. 
And  I  believe  that  something  very  deep  and  striking 
and  important  was  taking  place  between  that  child's 
soul  and  the  moon. 

We  forget  that  many  people  have  had  no  higher 
religion  than  this.  For  instance,  Socrates,  in  his 
trial,  says,  before  his  judges,  to  Miletus,  his  chief 
accuser,  "  O  Miletus,  with  all  your  rage  against  me, 
you  surely  would  not  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  I  do 
not  believe  that  the  sun  and  moon  are  the  supreme 
gods  in  this  universe."  Nobody  would  say  that. 
Of  course  he  didn't.  Every  Greek  believed  that  the 
sun  and  moon  were  the  supreme  deities,  and  said 
their  prayers  to  them.  And  some  of  the  gods  and 
goddesses,  as  you  know,  had  some  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful temples  that  ever  were  reared  in  the  world,  as 
products  of  the  religious  sentiment.  And  so  on, 
from  the  rudest  kind  of  fetich-worship — from  the 
simple  stone  ebenezer.     The  Palestine  Exploration 


172    THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD- MIND. 

people  tell  us  that  the  chief  thing  they  find  there  is 
the  stone  set  up — one  stone  on  another — by  the 
primitive  population,  perhaps  not  simply  because 
they  were  idols  of  stone,  as  some  people  say.  Per- 
haps there  was  a  good  deal  of  symbolism,  and  they 
represented  something,  as  they  certainly  do  in  all 
higher  forms  of  idolatry — all  through  the  worship  of 
inanimate  objects,  up  to  the  worship  of  sun  and 
moon  and  stars,  which  have  implanted  a  sentiment 
so  deep  in  man,  that  one  of  the  deepest  thinkers  we 
have  ever  had  declared  that  the  undevout  astronomer 
was  mad.  From  the  lowest  to  the  highest,  we  see 
the  religious  effect  of  nature :  and  it  has  first  place, 
and  it  must  have ;  for  it  is  detrimental,  it  is  cutting 
off  the  tadpole's  tail,  to  try  to  teach  the  higher  forms 
of  religious  sentiment  without  the  child  having  had 
a  good  radical  experience  with  the  lower  forms.  It 
is  assuming  that  we  can  skip  stages  in  human  evolu- 
tion, which  Nature's  stern  decree  makes  it  impossible 
for  us  ever  to  pass  by.  We  must  always  pass 
through  them  all. 

When  we  come  to  ask  the  practical  question, 
whether  or  not  we  would  teach  Nature  in  the  Sun- 
^  ,     day-school,   we  may  well    pause:    but  for 

in  the  Sue-     myself,   I  am  quite  convinced  of  the  wis- 

day-schooL        ,  r    .  j_     o       j  11 

dom  01  two  recent  bunday-school  pro- 
grammes that  I  have  seen,  which  give  a  place  for 
teaching  Nature,  as  from  the  religious  standpoint. 
There  is  nothing  that  stimulates  the  child  sentiment 
of  awe,  reverence,  and  dependence — sentiments  which 
all  religious  philosophy  now  agrees  in  making  the 
basis  of  religion   in  the  soul — there  is  nothing  that 


THE   RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND.    173 

teaches  these  sentiments,  stimulates  them,  causes 
them  to  grow,  Hke  a  judicious  course  of  Nature-study. 
Of  course,  I  don't  mean  the  study  with  the  micro- 
scope, or  the  technique  of  names  or  nomenclature, 
but  I  mean  the  poetic  aspect  of  nature,  the  spontane- 
ous sentiment  that  springs  up  in  every  warm-hearted 
child  when  coming  in  contact  with  nature.  On  a 
summer's  day,  take  a  group  of  children  into  the 
woods,  and  you  find  that,  although  in  the  meadow 
and  open  land  they  may  have  been  jolly  and  running 
and  climbing,  the  moment  they  enter  the  forest  there 
is  a  hush.  They  feel  a  certain  sort  of  awe  in  the 
gloom  and  sombreness  of  a  quiet  summer  forest. 
That  sentiment.  Professor  Zeller  tells  us — and  he  is, 
perhaps,  the  most  competent  man  to  speak  on  that 
subject — Professor  Zeller,  in  his  "History  of  the 
Religious  Sentiment  among  the  Ancient  Romans," 
says  that  that  sentiment  of  awe  in  the  presence  of 
the  forest  was  the  only  religious  sentiment  that  the 
ancient  Romans  ever  developed — at  the  root  of  all 
the  religion  they  ever  had.  And  we  know,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  Roman  Empire,  it  was  at  least  rich 
enough  to  produce  in  their  people  a  rank  growth 
of  superstitions,  such  as  the  world  has  never  seen. 
And  the  child  should  have  a  chance  to  develop  that 
at  its  proper  time,  in  order  that  the  sentiments  on 
which  the  higher  forms  of  religion  rest,  and  without 
which  every  kind  of  religious  development  is  defec- 
tive, may  come  to  their  highest  perfection. 

When  we  look  over  the  history  of  savage  religions 
and  primitive  religions,  especially  the  ethnic  re- 
ligions,   we  find  that   there  is  hardly  one  single  ob- 


174    THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD- MIND. 

ject   in  all  nature  that  has  not  been  worshipped  by 
T^  Tj       .     some  savajre  race.       Max    Miiller  tells  us 

Its  Power  in  ^ 

Primitive       that  it   would    be  difficult  to  find  anything 

Eeliffions,  i    •  •      •       -r         i.  i 

^  so   repulsive,    so    insignihcant,    so   vulgar, 

even,  that  it  had  not  been  made  by  some  race, 
somewhere,  the  object  of  superstitious  and  supreme 
worship.  And  we  know  that  in  the  three  thousand 
deities  of  the  Arians  almost  every  kind  of  natural 
object  was  somehow  represented  and  personified. 
Of  course,  particularly  the  sky.  We  have  plenty  of 
sky-worshippers  to-day.  The  clouds — what  would 
become  of  the  imagination  if  it  were  not  for  the 
clouds  .-*  The  child  in  the  country  gazes  at  them, 
and  he  forms  palaces,  and  sails,  wild  scenes  of  Judg- 
ment day,  crowds  of  angels  :  he  sees  great  ships,  and 
flags — everything  that  can  be  conceived  of:  and  the 
clouds  have  had  an  immense  influence  in  giving  a 
sense  of  reality  to  something  up  above  us.  I  am 
inclined  to  agree  with  M.  Renan,  who  tells  us  that 
the  clouds,  and  thunder,  and  mountains,  each  had 
more  to  do  than  any  other  one  factor,  he  thinks,  in 
shaping  the  religious  conceptions  of  the  ancient 
Hebrews.  But  however  that  may  be,  no  one  w^ho 
knows  children  can  doubt  that  they  have  a  very  deep 
and  instinctive  love  and  reverence  for  objects  in 
Nature,  and  that  they  do  pass  through  a  great  many 
more  of  these  ancient  idolatrous  stages  than  we 
know,  and  the  dictum  of  modern  science  is  that  these 
have  their  place;  these  instincts  must  be  developed. 
The  objects  are  more  tangible,  they  are  more  con- 
stant. And  just  as  that  child  is  unfortunate  who  has 
never  had  a  mother  to  watch  over  it  until  it  grew  to 


THli  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND.    i75 

years  of  maturity :  especially  that  infant  is  unfortunate 
who  has  not  been  able  to  gaze  into  its  mother's  eyes, 
and  to  develop  toward  her  precisely  those  sentiments 
of  reverence  and  love  and  dependence  which  later, 
turned  toward  God,  constitute  so  much  of  the 
essence  of  religion,  just  so,  the  child  who  has  not 
had  access  to  Nature  and  has  not  felt  her  uplifting 
power  is  liable  to  build  his  religious  life  upon  the 
sand,  because  it  has  not  the  solid  foundations  in  the 
primeval  life  of  the  human  soul  to  rest  upon. 

Of  course  this  is  only  one  fact.  We  have  to-day 
a  great  many  schemes  of  instruction  from  the  Bible. 
I  had  one  come  to  me  yesterday,  and  brought  it 
down  on  the  train,  and  looked  it  over.  It  Natural  re- 
is  very  liberal — more  liberal  than  almost  ifgun^~y. 
any  that  I  have  seen.  It  recognises  Nature-  schools. 
worship  at  the  beginning  of  the  course,  and  at  the 
end  of  the  course.  It  insists  upon  some  training  in 
ethnic  religions — in  other  religions  than  Christianity. 
It  accepts  as  rather  fundamental  the  dictum  that, 
just  as  philologists  tell  us  that  he  who  knows  only 
one  language  really  knows  none,  because  he  does 
not  know  it  comparatively,  and  does  not  know  the 
derivation  of  words,  just  so  it  is  true  that  he  who 
knows  but  one  religion  really  knows  none  adequately. 
So  that  it  has  even  introduced  something  about  Bud- 
dhism, and  two  or  three  other  of  the  higher  ethnic 
religions,  at  the  latter  part  of  this  course.  I  do  not 
know  what  the  justification  of  that  might  be.  Per- 
haps we  may  question  it.  But  I  think  there  can  be 
no  hesitation  whatever  in  insisting  that  the  mytho- 
poeic  and  sentimental  aspect  of  Nature,  and  some  of 


176    THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND. 

its  great  facts,  should  be  taught  to  children  in  the 
Sunday-school  in  a  way  to  bring  out  natural  religion 
— all  there  is  of  it — to  make  the  most  and  the  best  of 
it,  because  that  is  the  best  foundation  on  which  to 
build  the  higher  structure  of  Christianity. 

It  seems  to  me  we  cannot  say  very  much,  perhaps, 
upon  the  order  of  Bible-study.  We  have  it  in  these 
various  programmes,  sometimes  beginning 
o/thrBibie.  ^^^  ^^^^  middle  and  going  both  ways,  some- 
times beginning  with  the  ancient  heroes  in 
the  Pentateuch,  sometimes  beginning  with  the  New 
Testament  and  working  backward.  But  it  does  seem 
to  me  that  the  Bible,  certainly  the  most  consummate 
text-book  in  psychology  that  the  world  has  ever 
seen,  not  only  knows  and  touches  the  human  heart 
at  deeper  and  more  points  than  any  other,  but  that 
the  order  of  its  books,  in  the  main,  is  the  most 
pedagogic.  It  begins  with  the  most  majestic  sweep, 
and  gives  us  a  background  of  the  universe.  To  me, 
as  an  educator  and  psychologist,  that  question  is  not 
of  so  much  consequence,  because  the  main  point  is 
to  teach  the  dependence  of  all  things  upon  God. 
Criticism  has  its  place,  the  scientific  estimate  has  its 
place,  but  not  in  the  Sunday-school.  The  Sunday- 
school  is  to  edify,  it  is  to  cultivate  the  heart  and  the 
feelings,  out  of  which  the  intellect  springs,  of  which 
the  intellect  is  only  a  sort  of  dried  specimen,  so  to 
speak.  The  heart,  in  which  we  live,  which  is  the 
largest  thing  in  us,  is  to  be  educated.  The  Sunday- 
school  is  to  educate  the  emotional  and  the  instinctive 
nature,  and  is  not  for  the  training  of  the  reason,  ex- 
cept incidentally,  so  far  as  it  may  be  made  to  min- 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND.    I77 

ister  to  this  nature.      In  that  respect  it  seems  to  me 
it  differs  very  largely  from  the  Day-school. 

If  this   order,  in  general,  be  followed,  that  would 
bring  the  stress  of  teaching   Christianity,    from  the 
New  Testament,  a   little  later  than  we  put 
it.       And    while    I    would    by    no    means  ^^^^'^f^^,^ 
advocate,    as  some  have  lately  done,   that  of  Christ's 
the   child   be   kept  in  ignorance   of  Chris-  test  taught 
tianity  until  he  reaches  the  age  of  twelve  or  ^}  Confirma- 

tion  Age  I 

fifteen,  until  the  dawn  of  that  transforma- 
tion of  adolescence  which  takes  the  child  out  of  his 
own  individuality  and  makes  him  a  member  of  the 
race,  yet  I  am  entirely  convinced  that  if  we  wish  to 
work  with  Nature,  and  not  against  her,  it  is  necessary 
that  the  chief  stress  of  the  New  Testament  teaching, 
and  the  chief  personal  application  of  the  experience 
and  the  saving  work  of  Christ,  be  applied  not  much 
earlier  than  the  decade  in  which  the  Episcopal 
Church  confirms,  than  the  time  when  the  Roman 
Catholic  and  the  Lutheran  churches  confirm,  than 
the  time  when  the  very  careful  statistics  in  the  Pres- 
byterian and  the  Methodist  and  the  Baptist  and  the 
Congregational  churches  show  that  most  conversions 
take  place,  with  children  twelve  or  thirteen  or  there- 
abouts, until  the  beginning  of  this  transformation. 
Nature  indicates  there  the  necessity  of  new  and  larger 
views,  the  necessity  of  regenerative  processes,  be- 
cause then  the  child's  whole  nature  is  turned  about. 
It  has  lived  for  self  until  then,  and  properly.  For  the 
most  part,  it  is  necessary.  It  is  necessary,  rather, 
that  the  child  up  to  that  period  should  grow  in  body, 
soul,  and  strength,  and  get  knowledge;  that  it  should 


lyS    THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE  CHILD-MIND. 

be  done  for.  But  here  is  a  great  break — the  break 
when  most  children  leave  school  for  good.  The 
average  age  of  leaving  school  in  New  York,  Boston, 
Chicago,  and  St.  Louis  is  just  about  thirteen  or  four- 
teen years,  or  thereabouts.  It  is  just  about  the  time 
when  Nature  decrees  a  break,  when  children  can 
support  themselves,  and  there  is  a  tendency  to  run 
away,  because  there  is  the  point  where  the  genera- 
tions break  off  a  little  from  each  other,  as  it  would 
seem. 

But  it  is  especially  the  time  of  life  when  the 
thoughts  of  young  man  and  maiden  begin  to  turn  to 
other  things  than  self.  The  great  instincts  of 
altruism  begin  to  be  felt,  and  to  transform  the  soul, 
and  far  off  and  dimly,  at  first,  looms  up  the  great 
conception  that  life  is,  after  all,  not  to  be  lived  for 
self,  but  for  others,  and  the  instinct  of  subordination, 
Th  Ad  1  -  ^^  sacrifice,  of  being  ready  to  die  for  what 
cent  Period  one  would  live  for,  begins  then,  and  if  life 
is  complete,  if  people  do  not  stop  their 
mental  growth,  if  they  are  not,  by  some  accident 
of  education  or  environment  or  heredity,  condemned 
to  live  their  lives  out  upon  a  plane  far  lower  than 
Nature  intended  them  to  be  lived, — if  none  of  these 
things  occur,  and  they  come  to  complete  maturity, 
then  altruism  has  its  complete  work,  and  sacrifice 
and  work  and  service  are  a  passion, — not  only  a 
duty,  but  a  passion  and  joy.  And  that  is  the 
essence  of  religion,  that  is  its  work  in  the  human 
soul,  to  subordinate  self,  and  to  make  the  life  of 
the  race,  and  the  larger  life  of  God,  have  supreme 
dominion  over  the  heart.     Love  is  the  greatest  thing 


THE  RELIGIOUS  CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND.    179 

in  the  world,  and  to  fix  it  on  the  greatest  objects  in 
the  world  is  the  end  and  aim  of  Education :  and 
this  comes  chiefly  at  adolescence.  It  begins  then. 
Children  are  more  animal  than  we  have  thought 
them  to  be.  We  must  think  more  of  animals  than 
we  thought.  They  are  more  of  savages  than  we 
thought  them  to  be.  We  must  have  a  larger  esti- 
mate of  savage  life  than  we  had,  if  we  are  to  under- 
stand them  aright.  They  come  to  their  highest 
intuitive  development  in  a  very  few  years,  and  the 
dawn  of  this  critical  period,  and  the  time  for  the  con- 
summating and  completing  of  religious  education,  is 
then.  I  believe  that  in  all  our  Sunday-schools  the 
consummate  care  of  the  superintendent  and  the 
teacher  and  the  Rector  should  be  bent  not  so  much 
upon  the  lower  classes,  important  as  they  are,  but 
upon  the  classes  of  boys  who  are  in  early  teens,  and 
perhaps  a  little  later,  who  are  coming  into  maturity, 
and  have  no  guide,  almost  nothing  in  the  school, 
almost  nothing  in  their  environment,  to  really  develop 
and  cultivate  and  elevate  this  great  sentiment  of  love, 
than  which  nothing  is  more  liable  to  go  astray  and 
become  perverse  ;  than  which,  if  it  is  perverted,  noth- 
ing works  greater  havoc  in  the  soul  and  the  body. 
To  elevate  and  expand  this,  so  it  shall  take  hold  of 
what  is  eternally  good,  true,  and  beautiful — that  is 
the  time,  and  that  is  the  immortal  work  of  the 
Sunday-school  teacher. 

To  love  and  to  be  interested  most  in  those  things 
that  are  most  worthy  of  love  and  of  interest — that  is 
the  end  of  life:  and  religion  is  the  only  thing,  in  all 
this   vast  mass   of  cultures   that  our  curriculums  are 


iSo   THE  RELIGIOUS  CONTENT  OF  THE  CHILD-MIND. 

trying  to  train  in  so  many  ways — religion  is  the  only 
thing  that  can  ever  lead  us  to  that  consummation. 
I  think  that  in  some  of  our  communions  we  have 
Danger  of  been  premature ;  we  have  sought  for  too 
th^e^e^Prin-  Speedy  results.  A  great  many  have  sought 
ciples.  to  reap  where  they  had  not  sown.      They 

have  endeavoured  to  pick  open  the  bud  before  it  was 
ready  to  blossom  of  itself.  We  have  even  revival 
sermons,  I  believe,  still,  to  children;  and  one  of 
these  revivalists  was  kind  enough  to  send  me  a  list  of 
his  conversions,  and  I  figured  up  over  four  thousand 
of  them,  and  found  that  the  average  of  the  children 
he  had  converted  was  nine  years.  Now  whether  or 
not  so  early  an  age  is  the  age  at  which  the  consum- 
mate effect  of  religious  training  ought  to  be  aimed  at, 
I  question — whether  the  soul  is  expanded  enough. 
We  know  what  the  results  of  precocity  are.  If  chil- 
dren's minds  are  brought  in  contact  with  great  things 
that  they  cannot  grapple,  there  is  a  kind  of  inocula- 
tion that  takes  place.  They  are  vaccinated.  They 
have  the  chicken-pox  form,  instead  of  the  severe 
form,  and  they  are  prevented  from  taking  a  deeper 
and  more  permanent  transforming  interest  in  these 
things:  and  I  am  very  strongly  persuaded,  for  one, 
that  while  a  great  deal  of  good  may  be  done  in  many 
cases,  there  is  a  very  grave  danger  in  bringing  home 
the  supremest  questions  of  religion  to  young  people 
until  those  instincts  and  those  passions  are  developed, 
which  are  stronger  than  any  other  in  life,  and  which, 
if  misguided,  may  lead  to  destruction.  When  those 
are  unfolded,  they  need  every  restraint  that  religion 
can    possibly   afford,    and    they    should    receive    the 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND,    i8i 

strongest  and  the  best  training.  There  should  be 
no  course  of  training  that  makes  possible  rubbing 
the  bloom  off,  or  dulling  the  effect  of  all  these,  but 
in  their  pristine  power  they  should  be  applied  when 
they  are  most  necessary  to  check  passion  and  to 
subdue  rampant  personality  and  selfishness,  and  to 
civilize  and  humanize  the  soul. 

I  am  inclined  to  think  that  John  Stuart  Mill  said 
a  rather  good  thing  about  this.  He  said  that  teach- 
ing children  to  be  good  too  early  was  a  little  like 
early  rising.  People  who  were  very  early  j  g_  j^.^pg 
risers,  he  said,  in  the  morning,  were  quite  View. 
apt  to  be  very  proud  of  it  all  the  forenoon,  and  then 
rather  stupid  in  the  afternoon,  and  very  uninteresting 
in  the  evening.  And  I  am  inclined  to  think  that 
something  of  that  occurs  in  those  who  wake  up  too 
early  to  religious  truths.  They  may  be  very  interest- 
ing as  precocious  children  or  boy  prodigies,  possibly; 
but  I  think  they  grow  uninteresting  and  sterile  in  the 
afternoon  of  life,  and  in  them  often  the  power  and 
stress  of  religion  somehow  loses  its  force.  It  does 
not  grow  with  the  years  and  strengthen  with  their 
strength,  as  it  really  ought  to  do. 

Then — to  leave    this — there    is    another  point  of 
view   which    must   not   be   overlooked.      Science   in 
many  ways  is  coming  to  reaffirm  many  of  ^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
the  old   principles  of  religion.      Take  this   and  Conver- 

r  •  T-1  i  sion. 

of  conversion.       1  here   are  a  great  many 
people  who  think  that  there  is  not  much  in  it,  that 
Confirmation,    and   so  on,  do  not   mean  very  much. 
There  is   great  reason   to   believe  that  the  next  five 
years  will    see  a   revolution  of  sentiment   in   all  the 


1 82    THE  RELIGIOUS  CONTENT  OF  THE  CHILD-MIND. 

churches,  on  this  subject;  that  it  will  come  to  us 
from  science,  which  will  show  that  Nature  has  a  real 
regeneration  in  the  soul  at  this  time ;  that  the  in- 
terpreting faculties,  the  imagination,  and  the  senti- 
ments are  immensely  quickened.  There  is  a  vast 
new  literature  on  this  subject  of  adolescence.  It 
shows  that  mankind  becomes  different  in  a  very  few 
years.  Stature  increases.  Boys  begin  to  grow 
especially  at  twelve,  and  grow  for  a  few  years  and 
then  stop.  They  grow  in  their  weight;  their  brains 
develop  in  a  remarkable  way.  Their  muscular 
strength  increases,  new  interests,  new  passions  arise; 
new  dangers,  of  course;  and  it  is  the  time  of  greatest 
prevalence  in  the  line  of  crime.  Later  statistics 
show  that  before  the  close  of  the  years  of  adolescence 
most  of  the  crimes  are  committed — not  the  deepest 
and  darkest  crimes,  but  the  most.  So  that  it  seems 
as  though  good  and  evil  struggle  together  for  the 
mastery  of  the  human  soul  at  no  other  time  of  life  so 
much  as  at  this  time. 

All  we  know,  then,  of  this  period  seems  to  indi- 
cate that  it  is  a  kind  of  regeneration,  of  the  same 
sort  which  takes  place  in  the  soul,  and  that  religion, 
in  formulating  it,  has  simply  been  true  to  Nature, 
giving  it  its  crown  of  development. 

So,  too,  with  regard  to  sin.  I  am  very  strongly 
persuaded  that  not  many  years  will  pass  before  we 
Science  and  shall  have  from  science  a  very  strong  plea 
^^^'  for  more  preaching  of  sin  from  the  pulpit. 

I  say  this  with  great  diffidence,  and  I  hardly  meant 
to  put  it  quite  so  strongly,  but  I  will  not  go  back 
now,    for   I  very  rarely  get  an   opportunity  to  talk 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND,   i^ 


o 


back  from  the  pulpit ;  my  place  is  in  the  pews.  But 
I  do  feel  very  strongly  persuaded  that  we  ought 
to  have  a  little  of  the  old-fashioned  doctrine  of  sin 
preached.  Augustine  preached  it.  The  Church 
deifies  some  of  our  good  Calvinistic  friends  for 
preaching  it.  We  do  not  hear  so  very  much  of  it: 
but  it  is  a  dreadful  thing.  Read  a  book  like  Nordau's 
"Degeneration."  Read  the  modern  studies  in 
criminology  that  are  being  made.  Read  the  litera- 
ture that  is  abroad,  stamped  with  the  marks  of 
human  decadence.  Look  at  life  as  you  see  it.  Is 
not  sin  a  real  thing  ? 

One  of  my  students  investigated  with  great  labour, 
a  while  ago,  and  culled  from  the  newspapers  various 
advertisements  that  are  circulated  in  all  the  papers 
of  this  country,  to  young  men,  warning  them  against 
the  errors  of  youth,  and  adding  that  they  could  be 
cured  with  so  many  bottles,  at  so  much,  perhaps. 
And  he  found  that  there  were  now  no  less  than 
seven  of  these  great  societies — publishing  syndicates, 
if  you  please — for  the  circulation  of  the  answers  to 
these  advertisements.  The  business  is  conducted  in 
this  way.  Scare  advertisements  are  sent  out.  Un- 
wary youth  write,  asking  questions.  These  ^wfui  results 
young  men,  most  of  whom  are  normal,  are  of  sin  on  Con- 
instructed  to  send  in  their  complaints. 
They  write  their  letters  with  their  hearts'  blood. 
I  have  read  them.  I  bought  a  thousand  at  the 
syndicate  price,  and  looked  them  over.  The  most 
awful  letters  that  I  ever  read  —  because  most  of 
them,  as  I  say,  were  ingenuous  young  men,  and 
though     perfectly    normal,    were     made     to     think, 


I §4   THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD- MIND. 

through  the  neglect  of  their  parents  and  their 
teachers,  that  they  were  all  wrong  and  corrupt,  and 
they  are  made  to  buy  these  nostrums  and  to  eat  out 
their  own  soul  and  become  cankered  by  a  sense  of 
sin  they  ought  not  to  feel,  in  very  many  cases.  It 
is  most  fearful  reading.  We  estimated  the  number 
of  these  letters.  We  know  what  they  cost.  They 
cost  twenty-five  dollars  a  thousand  the  first  time,  the 
second  time  twenty  dollars,  and  so  on  until  they 
have  been  sold  five  times — because  the  young  man 
will  perhaps  buy  of  the  fifth  different  company,  and 
the  fifth  time  the  syndicate  price  is  five  dollars  a 
thousand  for  those  letters,  written  with  the  utmost 
secrecy  by  young  men,  many  of  them  from  our  best 
families.  And  there  are  now  on  sale  such  letters 
from  four  and  a  half  million  young  men  in  this 
country,  that  can  be  bought  at  those  prices. 

Now  don't  tell  me  that  sin  is  not  a  real  thing,  that 
it  does  not  need  to  be  preached.  It  is  sin  shown, 
not  so  much  in  the  acts,  as  in  the  consciences  of  these 
young  men.  It  is  the  power  exercised  over  them 
by  their  delusive  impressions  of  their  own  acts,  by 
reason  of  the  tendencies  which  exist  in  their  hearts, 
and  in  their  nature,  which  need  right  guidance. 
The  recent  studies  from  many  points — studies  in 
psychology,  studies  of  the  emotions,  of  the  brain,  of 
the  whole   nervous   system,  with  many  experiments 

^     ,  ,  conducted  in  the  laboratory,  show,  in  a  far 

Psycnology  ^  y  '  ' 

and  the  more  minute  way  than  has  ever  been  shown 

before,  that  there  is  a  very  close  rapp07't 

between  psychology  and  the  Bible— a  rapport  which 

amounts  to  sympathy,  and  which  perhaps  is  going  to 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OE   THE  CHILD-MIND.    185 

amount  almost  to  identity.  This  is  to  be  the  point 
of  contact  between  science  and  reHgion,  in  that  day 
which  is  speedily  coming.  And  I  believe  wc  shall 
realize  that  there  has  been  a  vast  amount  of  energy 
lost  because  we  have  thought  that  the  primary  reve- 
lation of  God  in  His  works  could  be  set  over  against 
the  revelation  which  God  has  made  to  us  in  His 
holy  word.  The  two  are  one.  They  reinforce  each 
other.  All  the  essentials  of  the  two  are  implied  in 
each.  And  I  am  myself  hopeful  enough  to  believe 
that  when  this  old  view  shall  be  ended,  and  that 
when  this  sad  chasm  between  them,  in  which  so 
many  unsightly  and  rank  weeds  have  grown  up,  is 
closed,  out  of  a  full  heart  we  shall  be  able  to  ex- 
press some  such  sentiment  as  Daniel  Webster  did, 
in  that  famous  speech  of  his,  you  remember,  which 
I  might  almost  parody  by  saying,  ' '  When  our  eyes 
shall  behold  for  the  last  time,  perhaps,  the  sun  of 
this  century,  or  the  sun  of  the  next  decade,  they  will 
not  see  him  shining  upon  a  culture  divorced,  broken, 
but  rather  upon  the  two  great  wings  of  human  in- 
terest. Science  and  Religion,  the  standards  of  both 
high  advanced,  and  bearing  no  such  miserable 
inquiry  as  '  What  is  Science  worth  "^  '  or  those  other 
words  of  delusion  and  folly,  '  Religion  first,  and 
Science  afterwards  ' :  but  everywhere  men  will  unite 
in  feeling  that  the  two  are  one  and  inseparable." 

And  when  it  comes,  we  shall  realize  what  an  im- 
mense amount  of  energy  has  been  los.,  and  how 
much  we  have  faltered  in  our  upward  strivings  in 
religious  work,  because  we  have  been  intimidated  by 
science.      The   higher   ranges  of  science,   that  deal 


iS6    THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND. 

with  the  human  soul,  reinforce  every  one  of  the  great 
fundamental  tables  of  the  Bible.  And  it  is  high 
time  that  we  recognise  this,  and  adopt  all  that  it 
can  give  us  into  the  Sunday-school  and  the  pul- 
pit. 

I  must  add  one  final  thought.  It  is  almost  ex- 
actly the  thought  with  which  I  began. 

The  best  period  in  life  is  childhood — the  best 
period  of  human  life.  It  is  the  richest  and  the 
Childhood  largest.  It  has  most  sympathies,  most 
Beriorof  delusions,  most  capacities,  most  pleasures, 
Life.  between    birth     and     complete     maturity, 

which  we  now  believe  does  not  occur  till  well  on  in 
the  twenties,  and  perhaps  even  later,  as  the  best 
authorities  tell  us — but  in  the  growing  period  of  life 
is  found  almost  all  that  makes  life  worth  the  living. 

Biology  tells  us  that  every  cell  and  tissue  of  the 
human  body  is  simply  a  servant  of  those  minute  pro- 
ductive elements  which  pass  on  the  sacred  torch  of 
Biology's  li^*^  from  one  generation  to  another.  They 
witness.  ^j-g  immortal.  We  are  all  literally  physical 
parts  of  our  parents,  back,  back  to  Adam.  The 
primitive  cell  divides,  the  pieces  divide  again ;  finally 
two  collide,  and  become  two  organs.  There  is  no 
death,  there  is  no  corpse.  That  is  the  way  in  which 
life  began.  There  was  physical  immortality.  But 
later  organs  were  necessary  for  special  purposes,  and 
it  was  with  specialization  that  death  began.  Biol- 
ogists describe  this  origin  of  death  in  the  world 
thus:  "  It  is  the  lower  functions,  the  more  special- 
ized, that  die:  but  that  immortal  part  that  still  repre- 
sents and  passes   on  this  sacred  torch  of  life  to  the 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND.   187 

further  generations  —  that  is  the    master   tissue  that 

everything  else  serves." 

And  so  of  childhood, — we  may  say  that  childhood 

represents,  often,    the  noblest  humanity.      It  is  the 

human  nature  at  its  very  best,  highest  and  fullest  and 

richest,  before  sin  has  very  deeply  entered — for  the 

child,  before  the  teens,  cannot  commit  any  so  very 

grievous  sin — nothing  compared  to  the  temptations 

that    assail  it  later  in    life.       Wordsworth 

•    1  T  T  1  •         1  •  11  1    Childliood 

was  right.     He  was  speakmg  literally,  and  the  noblest 

biology  reinforces  him  in  all  those  glorious  t^°iamty. 
ascriptions  of  transcendent  insight  to  the  human 
child's  soul.  It  does  not  reason,  it  can  hardly  walk 
in  thought,  but  its  intuitions  are  subtle.  There  is  not 
a  thing  in  the  environment  to  which  it  is  not  respon- 
sive. It  is  like  a  seed  which  is  in  the  soil.  Perhaps 
the  sunlight  does  not  shine  directly  upon  it,  but 
there  is  not  a  ray  over  it,  not  a  drop  of  moisture 
above  it,  that  does  not  refresh  it  in  every  particle 
of  its  being,  and  does  not  quicken  it  to  new  life. 
Is  it  so  with  the  soul  of  the  child  .-*  It  is,  as  I  said, 
the  soul  of  the  race.  It  is  generic,  it  is  complete. 
There  have  been  none  of  the  necessary  subtractions. 
And  civilization  is  measured  by  a  new  standard. 
The  Church,  the  home,  the  school,  are  good  only 
so  far  as  they  are  means  of  bringing  human  nature 
to  a  fuller  and  completer  maturity.  That  is  the 
highest  thing  to  be  gained — to  develop  the  race  on 
and  up,  and  thus  evolution  always  proceeds.  It 
starts  off  from  childhood.  To  bring  to  maturity  is 
to  keep  young,  to  carry  childhood  into  old  age,  and 
keep  it  green,  so  that  there  shall  be  no  decadence, 


1 88    THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD-MIND. 

and  old  age  shall  not  be  repulsive,  as  it  often  is. 
The  best  possible  test  of  every  human  culture  is 
whether  or  not  it  can  preserve  that  curious  and 
unique  and  divine  freshness  of  soul  that  is  the 
peculiar  badge  and  characteristic  of  childhood — 
whether  it  keeps  us  eternally  young.  That  is  genius. 
Genius  is  nothing  but  childhood  perpetuated  into  old 
age.  And  the  best,  the  highest  service  that  can 
possibly  be  rendered  is  the  service  and  the  ministry 
to  childhood. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  waking  up  upon 
this  subject.  I  heard,  in  France,  this  last  summer, 
some  very  remarkable  things  about  a  new  movement 
rj,     T  in  this   direction,   which   I    wish    to   know 

Teacnmg  ' 

best  for  more  about.      And   I    think    our  churches 

children,  •  i  i  •  i_    r 

are  commg  to  realize  now  as  never  before, 
that  it  is  a  far  higher  thing,  because  it  does  more 
good,  to  really  reach  children  before  they  are 
highly  matured,  than  to  preach  and  work  for  par- 
ents. Not  but  that  that  work  is  needed  sadly 
enough,  but  it  requires  higher  talent,  greater 
capacity,  more  genius,  more  full  mastery  of  know- 
ledge, to  teach  children.  The  true  teacher  can  go 
through  the  highest  and  most  consummate  mastery 
of  expert  subjects,  and  make  them  interesting  to  a 
little  child.  Any  one  who  ever  saw  Professor 
Huxley  talk  to  his  own  children  would  realize  that 
there  was  not  a  thing  that  that  great  mind  knew  in 
science,  that  he  could  not  make  fascinating  to  the 
little  child.  And  so  in  religion.  Mastery  in  the 
knowledge  of  religion,  sympathy  with  Christ,  that 
makes  us  really  interested  in   His  mind  and  will,  is 


THE  RELIGIOUS   CONTENT  OF   THE   CHILD.MIND.    189 

best  tested  by  capacity  to  lead  and  minister  to  child- 
hood. 

So  that  the  child  is  leading  us  again,  as  never 
before.  And  if  some  methods  of  thought  change  in 
the  world,  if  some  of  us  lose  a  little  confidence  in 
the  ideas  that  have  guided  us  hitherto,  there  is  one 
test  that  is  sure,  because  it  comes  right  up  from  the 
heart  of  Nature,  .and  is  the  criterion  by  which  every 
other  truth  soever  in  the  world  must  forever  be 
tested :  whether  or  not  it  ministers  to  the  more  com- 
plete growth  and  maturity  of  childhood. 


VIII. 

THE    USE    OF    BIOGRAPHY    IN    RELI- 
GIOUS INSTRUCTION. 

By  Professor  Frank  Morton  McMurry,   Ph.D.,  Professor 

of  "  The  Theory  of  Teaching,"  in  Teachers  College, 

Columbia  University. 


SYNOPSIS   OF  LECTURE  VIII. 

The  two  Fundamental  Principles  of  all  Instruction. 
Law  controls  all  kinds  of  Instruction. 
Object  of  Instruction  is  to  develop  Permanent  Interest. 
Importance  of  Biography  in  Religious  Instruction. 
Depends  on  our  aspect  of  the  Bible. 
Decision  important  in  Day-schools. 
Bible  Instruction  primarily  History. 
Selected  Summary  of  Biographical  Bible  Instruction. 
Literature  and  underlying  Truths  not  excluded. 
Illustrations. 

Yet  History  the  Groundwork. 
Reason  for  Biographical  Treatment  of  the  Bible. 
Child  uses  Personification. 

Hence  even  Geography  taught  by  Personification. 
Also  History,  Nature- study,  and  Science  as  welL 
Why  does  Biography  interest  ? 

Because  it  gives  Facts  connectedly. 

Hence  close  Relation  needed  between  Lessons. 

Difficulties  in  Sunday-school  Lessons. 
Because  Biography  is  Concrete. 

Literature  accepts  this  Principle. 

Sunday-schools  ignore  it. 

Abuse  illustrated  by  Story  of  "The  Match  Girl." 

Proper  Ratio  of  Concrete  to  Abstract,  lo  :  i. 

Hence  Instruction  should  be  mainly  by  Narrative. 
Biography  forms  good  groundwork  for  other  Facts. 
Also  helpful  in  Reviews. 
Good  basis  for  Examinations  of  Teachers. 
Age  best  suited  for  Study  of  Biography. 
All  Teachers  deal  best  with  pupils  by  using  Facts. 


THE   USE  OF   BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS 
INSTRUCTION. 

Some  statement  of  fundamental  principles  is  first 
necessary,  as  a  basis  for  the  remarks  that 
are  to  follow.     I  desire,  therefore,  to  men-  mental  Prin- 
tion  two  such  guiding  thoughts.  ^^P^®^' 

In  the  first  place,  law  prevails  in  religious  teach- 
ing, as  in  other  kinds  of  instruction.  We  know  that, 
in  the  physical  world,  the  man  who  ^  ^ 
Opposes  himself  to  natural  law  mvariably  trois  all 
suffers,  no  matter  what  his  intentions  may  ^^stmction. 
be.  We  know  also  that  in  the  ordinary  field  of  in- 
struction we  are  subject  to  what  is  called  ' '  psychical 
law.  "  He  who  follows  that  law  meets  with  excellent 
results,  and,  to  the  extent  that  any  one  ignores  it, 
he  meets  with  bad  results.  Sometimes  there  is  a 
tendency,  in  the  field  of  religion,  to  feel  that  the 
situation  there  is  different;  that,  if  teachers  mean 
well,  whether  they  possess  proper  knowledge  or  not, 
good  results  are  somehow  assured.  There  is  no 
warrant,  however,  for  believing  that  the  Lord  will 
interfere  with  law  more  in  this  case  than  in  the 
others.  This  is  one  of  the  presuppositions  for  our 
later  argument. 

193 


194       BtOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGtOUS  INSTRUCTIOM. 

In    the    second    place,    what    we    are   aiming    at 

primarily  in  religious  instruction   is   the  development 

of  a  permanent  interest  in  religious  facts. 

to  develop      To  be  sure,  we  often  aim  at  knowledge,  a 

permanent      knowledgfe  of  reliP"ious  truth,   and    of  the 

Interest.  *^  . 

historical  facts  contained  in  the  Bible.  But 
in  the  Sunday-school,  as  in  the  Day-school,  we  are 
growing  more  and  more  inclined  to  accept  an  inter- 
ested attitude  of  mind  as  the  largest  immediate  end 
to  work  for.  If  the  instructor  brings  about  a  proper 
attitude  toward  the  Bible,  namely,  that  of  deep  in- 
terest, he  has  the  best  guarantee  of  future  thinking, 
feeling,  and  acting  along  that  line.  No  matter  how 
much  knowledge  one  may  possess,  it  may  easily  lie 
dead,  a  stored,  unused  capital ;  but  it  must  be  pre- 
sented in  a  certain  skilful  manner  in  order  to  awaken 
permanent  interest;  it  is  therefore  merely  a  means 
to  an  end  rather  than  the  highest  immediate  end  in 
itself. 

There,  then,  are  my  two  fundamental  presupposi- 
tions. It  is  especially  important  to  remember  the 
Our  love  latter,  since  it  will  directly  influence  the 
based  on  later  discussion.  The  thought  might  be 
ow  e  ge.  ^Qj.(jg(^  differently  by  saying  that  we  are 
aiming  at  love^ — a  religious  love — as  our  highest 
direct  object.  Of  course  this  object  is  based  upon 
knowledge,  for  clear  ideas  must  be  the  basis  of  most 
permanent  interests.  But  since  we  can  impart  a  fair 
degree  of  knowledge  without  arousing  a  love — and 
in  fact  it  is  very  often  done — we  must  fix  the  larger 
purpose  in  mind  and  hold  it  before  us  continually. 
Knowledge   does  not  necessarily  include  love;  but 


BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        195 

love  for  religious  thought  includes  knowledge  to  a 
fair  degree  and  is  an  outgrowth  from  it.  The  one  is 
larger  than  the  other,  and  guarantees  far  more  for 
the  future.  Any  thoughtful  normal-school  teacher 
will  admit  that  what  he  most  cares  to  develop  among 
young  teachers  is  a  love  for  teaching,  rather  than  a 
knowledge  about  teaching.  In  making  this  asser- 
tion, therefore,  about  the  worth  of  interest  as  a 
teaching  aim,  I  am  in  full  harmony  with  those 
engaged  in  the  professional  training  of  teachers. 

Our  first  problem  for  consideration  ir,  this :    '  *  To 
what  extent  is  biography  a  subject  of  im-   importance 
portance  in  Sunday-school  Instruction  .^^  "   of  Biography 

(.-  1       1  •>    ^°  religious 

Is  it  merely  a  matter  that  affects  method  .''   instruction. 
Or  does  its  influence  extend  much  farther  } 

The  answer  depends  entirely  upon  our  conception 
of  the  Bible.     If  the  Sacred  Book  is  primarily  litera- 
ture, in  distinction  from  history;  biography  -p       , 
cannot  play  a  prominent  part  in  its  teach-   our  aspect 
ing.      Or  if  it   deals  mainly  with   abstract 
religious  truths  pertaining  to  religious  life,  biograph}?- 
cannot    be    of  great   importance    in    Sunday-school 
instruction.      On  the  other  hand,  if  the  Bible  is  con- 
ceived of,  as  containing  principally  religious  history, 
biography  can  prove  of  great  influence. 

It  is  particularly  important  that  this  problem  be 
solved  before  we  proceed  further.  In  the  Day- 
school,  it  is  necessary  that  the  teacher  know 

.         .    .         .         Decision  im- 

m  every  recitation  whether  he  is  giving  in-   portantin 
struction  primarily  in  early  reading,  litera-   Day-schools. 
ture,   history,   or  in  some  other  study.      Instructors 
in  normal  schools  find  that  young  teachers  commit 


19^       BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

one  of  their  gravest  errors  at  this  point;  for  when 
one  is  not  quite  sure  as  to  what  his  subject  is,  he 
fails  to  grasp  his  principal  points  fully  enough  to 
separate  them  clearly  from  all  others.  He  is  then 
in  danger  of  drifting  from  thought  to  thought,  and 
not  accomplishing  a  definite  piece  of  work.  The 
proper  state  is  reached  when  the  teacher  can  say: 
"  It  is  t/its  and  not  something  else;  and  only  such 
subject-matter  will  be  admitted  into  the  recitation  as 
will  contribute  to  this  one  end.  "  I  make  no  attempt 
to  prove  this  statement,  at  present,  owing  to  lack  of 
time ;  I  merely  assert  that,  if  a  teacher  will  keep  his 
bearings  and  accomplish  ends,  he  must  carry  clearly 
in  mind  the  nature  of  each  of  his  studies,  and  admit 
only  such  matter  as  is  in  accord  with  it.  Applying 
this  thought  to  the  Sunday-school :  if  the  Bible  is 
at  one  time  history,  at  another  literature,  and  at  a 
third  abstract  religious  truth,  the  teacher  is  in 
danger  of  shifting  from  ore  to  the  other,  and  pursu- 
ing no  definite  purpose. 

Let  me  say,  without  argument,  that  I  conceive  of 
Bible  instruction  as  concerned  primarily  with  history. 
I  do  not  dare  assert  that  most  of  the  Bible 

Bible  In-  ...  ,  .  ,  .  r 

strnction        IS  history ;  but  so  tar  as  the  presentation  of 
primarily       j^-g  subject-matter  to  children  is  concerned, 

History.  ,  -^ 

I  believe  that  most  good  can  be  accom- 
plished by  working  principally  with  the  historical 
portions.  I  therefore  map  out  for  myself  a  few  of  the 
great  characters  for  study. 

Starting  with  the  Patriarchs,  I  should  choose 
Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  and  Joseph,  Moses  and 
Joshua;  the  Judges  would  follow,   and  then  would 


BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        197 

come  the   Kings,   especially  Saul,  David,  and  Solo- 
mon.     In  the  New   Testament,   the  prin- 
cipal  topics  would  be   the    Life  of  Christ,    ^^^^^^^^ 

\  /  summary. 

with  His  Disciples,  and  that  of  St.   Paul. 
This  is  a  very  brief  summary  of  the  selections,  if  we 
conceive    of   the    Bible   as    containing   for   children 
primarily    history,    and    that    biograpJiical   history. 
We  see  that  in  determining  the  use  of  biography  in 
religious  teaching,   we  are   first  compelled   to   take 
some  position  in  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  Bible 
content.      Then,    if  it   is    chiefly  history,   we    must 
decide  whether  it  shall  be  biograpJiy  or  race-history; 
and  if  the  latter,  whether  it  shall  be  a  simple  narra- 
tive  of  the  principal   events  in  the   development  of 
the  Jewish  race,  or  rather  the  historical  growth  of  a 
few  great  ideas,  to  which  the  race-development  itself 
would  be  quite  subordinate. 

Although,  as  already  stated,  I  am  considering  the 
Bible  to  be  history  and  have  chosen  to  present  it  in 
biographical   form,   these   facts  do  not  by 
any  means  exclude  all  the  literature  and   andunder- 
the   abstract   truths  from  the   attention   of  lyi^g  truths 

not excludedi 

children.  The  many  events  contamed  in 
the  biographies  need  to  be  interpreted  in  some 
manner;  that  is,  they  must  lead  up  to  important 
generalizations  of  some  kind.  These  would  be  the 
great  religious  truths  that  the  Bible  contains ;  and 
these  truths  are  often  presented  in  an  especially 
attractive  form,  either  in  single  verses  or  in  whole 
chapters,  the  literature  itself  need  not  be  neglected. 
Suppose,  for  example,  that  we  are  treating  the  Story 
of  Joseph.      The  early  part  of  it  suggests  numerous 


198       BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION, 

verses.      His  early  treatment  by  his  brothers  calls  to 
mind  first  St.  John  xv.  :  ' '  Whosoever  hateth 

Illustrations.  » >         -i  t  n 

his  brother   is  a    murderer.  When  the 

children  picture  him  in  the  pit,  they  can  recall 
several  verses  to  comfort  him.  They  should  answer 
in  Scripture,  when  asked,  what  Commandments  his 
brothers  had  broken.  The  relation  between  the 
historical  incidents  recited  and  the  great  Bible  truths 
can  further  be  emphasized  by  calling  up  in  this  con- 
nection Gal.  vi.  7:  "  Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that 
shall  he  also  reap  "  ;  Heb.  xii.  6:  ''  Whom  the  Lord 
loveth.  He  chasteneth  "  ;  Prov.  xxviii.  13  :  *'  He  that 
covereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper;  but  whosoever 
confesseth  and  forsaketh  them  shall  have  mercy." 
These  are  some  of  the  verses  that  could  well  be  used 
to  express  central  thoughts  connected  with  the  Story 
of  Joseph.  Some  of  the  Psalms  and  some  selections 
from  other  literature  might  also  express  underlying 
thoughts  of  this  historical  narrative. 

Thus  it  is  plain  that  in  arranging  for  the  Bible  in- 
struction of  children  to  be  historical,  much  room  is 
provided  for   Bible  literature  and  abstract 

Yet  History  .  t-»        1  •  1     n  • 

the  ground-     religious  truths.      But  history  shall  consti- 

'^°^^'  tute  the   groundwork  or    body  of  the   in- 

struction, and  only  so  much  of  the  other  two  shall 
be  admitted  as  is  necessary  in  order  to  present,  in 
proper  form,  the  principal  generalizations  that  the 
history  suggests.  This  plan,  if  generally  agreed  upon, 
would  eliminate  much  of  the  moralizing  of  the  Sun- 
day-school, which  accomphshes  little  more  than  the 
development  of  a  positive  dislike  for  such  instruction. 
Thus    far    I    have     expressed    a    preference    for 


BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        199 

biography  without  giving  reasons.  Let  mc  now 
attempt  to  prove,  that  biography  is  an  especially 
interesting^  form   of  subject-matter.       The   ^ 

...  Reason  for 

little  child  wants  to  endow  its  playthings  biographical 
with  its  own  characteristics.  He  endows  *^^^^™^^*' 
his  doll  with  the  ability  to  feel,  to  become  sick,  to 
be  comforted,  to  take  medicine,  and  to  be  made 
well  again.  So  long  as  the  objects  about  him  lack 
life,  they  are  unrelated  to  the  child ;  but  so  soon 
as  they  are  given  personality,  he  is  drawn 
toward  them,  he  loves  and  enjoys  them.  Personifica- 
This  fact  is  so  important  in  school  work  *^°°' 
that  good  primary  teachers  regularly  make  use 
of  personification  in  dealing  with  young  children. 
The  popularity  of  certain  books  is  another  proof  that 
biography  is  particularly  interesting.  If  boys  and 
girls,  eight  to  ten  years  of  age,  were  asked  to  tell 
how  a  man  might  live,  if  he  were  placed  on  an  island 
by  himself, — how  he  would  make  his  clothing,  obtain 
his  food,  etc., — the  problem  might  excite  little  in- 
terest. But  the  moment  the  situation  is  personified, 
the  moment  a  man  by  the  name  of  Robinson  Crusoe 
is  placed  in  that  condition,  and  opportunity  is  given 
to  follow  him  from  day  to  day,  the  narrative  is  made 
highly  entertaining.  Boys  and  girls  weep  with 
Crusoe  when  he  is  seriously  ill,  and  they  rejoice 
when  he  becomes  well  again.  Thus,  feeling  is  pro- 
duced the  moment  personality  is  introduced.  Omit 
the  thread  of  life  due  to  personality,  and  we  have  an 
essay.  It  may  contain  an  equal  amount  of  truth, 
and  be  just  as  clearly  put;  but  it  has  not  that  element 
which  boys  and  girls  most  like. 


20C       BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELICIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

Teachers  of  geography  take  advantage  of  this  fact 

by  using  a  book  called  *'  The  Seven  Little  Sisters." 

Its  purpose  is  the  description  of  the  prin- 

HenceGeog-    cjpal    climates    on    the    globe,    and    it    is 

raphy  even  .        ,  ,  i      .  r    ^ 

is  taught  by  attained  by  relating  some  of  the  experiences 
Personifica-  ^^  \\it\Q  girls,  who  live  in  different  parts  of 
the  world.  There  are  several  other  books 
that  are  used  in  geography  in  the  same  manner. 
"  Pilgrim's  Progress  "  is  a  story  on  the  same  plan. 
If  the  experiences  of  a  Christian  had  been  described, 
merely  to  tell  the  truth,  and  not  to  excite  interest, 
this  tale  would  have  been  very  different.  But  by 
means  of  the  personification  of  the  various  tempta- 
tions with  which  Christian  meets,  we  see  him  vividly, 
and  accompany  him  in  his  struggles  with  the  most 
intense  feeling.  Perhaps  no  book  illustrates  this 
general  thought  more  forcibly  than  does  "Uncle 
Tom's  Cabin."  Our  nation  first  truly  felt  the 
curse  of  slavery  when  this  story  became  known. 
"Hiawatha"  illustrates  the  same  truth.  In  some 
schools  it  is  now  the  custom  to  study  Indian  life  in 
some  detail,  without  any  Indian  in  particular  to  talk 
about.  But  most  teachers  choose  Hiawatha  as  the 
basis  of  such  work.  He  represents  Indian  character- 
istics, and  in  following  him  children  obtain  an 
insight  into  the  race-life  that  is  tinged  with  emotion, 
learning  to  love  certain  attributes,  while  disliking 
others.  This  recalls  the  thought  at  the  beginning 
of  the  lecture,  that  all  education  is  aiming  to  reach 
our  emotions.  Knowledge  is  desirable,  indeed 
necessary;  but  knowledge,  alone,  lacks  life.  It  is 
an  interest  in  knowledge,  a  love  for  it,  that  is  the 


BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        201 

source  of  energy  and  action;  and  these  books,  that 
arouse  the  feehng  of  love,  through  the  attractiveness 
of  a  personaHty,  are  a  most  valuable  means  for  the 
development  of  such  a  character  as  the  school  wants. 

School  work  in  history  is  much  influenced  by  the 
superior    value    of   biography.      Children   are    made 
acquainted    with    John  Smith,   Sir  Walter 
Raleigh,     the    Jesuits,    Washington,     and   History.^^ 
Lincoln,   often  practically  living  with  one 
of  such  men   for  weeks  at  a  time,  and   learning  to 
love  some  of  the  ideals  for  which  they  stood. 

Much  the  same  idea  is  entering  into  Nature-study 
in  the  grades,  and  into  science  in  the  High-school. 
It  used  to  be  the  plan  in  this  field  to  cover   .  , . 

^  And  in 

briefly  most  of  the  forms  of  life, — at  least  Nature-study 
the  various  classes  and  orders.  But  there  ^^  cience. 
is  now  a  strong  tendency,  especially  in  the  higher 
work,  to  concentrate  largely  on  only  a  few  types 
of  life;  for  instance,  on  the  Crayfish,  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  one  large  division,  and  another  typical 
fish  as  representative  of  another.  It  is  not  true 
biography;  but  it  approaches  it,  inasmuch  as  there 
is  something  like  a  personality  present. 

I  have  merely  attempted,  by  these  examples,  to 
show  that  biography  is  of  special  interest,  and  that 
we    are    building  upon  that   fact   in   Day- 
school  instruction.     You  might  well  inquire   Biography 
w/ij/  biography  excites  so    much  interest,    i^^^^est? 
I  know  that  I  have  no  full  answer  to  that  question, 
but  I  should  like  to  contribute  two  thoughts  toward 
its  solution.      The  first  is  the  fact  that  there  is  such 
a  close   connection   in   the   series  of  incidents  that 


20  2        BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

make  up  each  story.  I  am  convinced  that  Sunday- 
school  teachers,  as  a  rule,  do  not  realize  the  great 
importance   of  establishing  such   connection  among 

the  facts  that  they  offer.  Those  of  us  who 
it  gives  facts  have  been  connected  with  colleges  or  uni- 
connectediy.  yersities  easily  recall  how  a  one-hour  course 
in  such  institutions  is  usually  abhorred, — by  students 
at  least,  — and  probably  by  the  professors  also.  The 
reason  is  that  a  one-hour  course,  measuring  one 
recitation  period  per  week,  has  its  periods  so  far 
apart  that  one  loses  its  connections.  No  matter  if 
a  good  lecture  is  delivered  to-day,  before  another 
week  rolls  by  it  will  have  been  so  largely  forgotten 
that  the  student  will  have  to  start  in  his  subject 
anew.  For  this  reason,  it  is  not  customary  to  have 
many  one-hour  courses. 

In  Day-schools,  it  is  a  very  common  complaint, 
from  instructors  in  music  and  art,  that,  because  they 

are  allowed  only  two  hours  per  week,  they 
tTonnfede'd  ^an  accomplish  but  little.  The  children, 
between         being  SO  young,  too,  nearly  forget  between 

the  periods  what  they  have  once  learned. 
Judging  Sunday-schools  from  this  point  of  view,  what 
conclusion  do  we  reach  ?  The  period  of  actual  in- 
struction, coming  once  per  week,  seldom  exceeds 
thirty  minutes,  and  the  attention  of  pupils  is  expected 
to  be  less  fully  concentrated  than  in  other  branches 
of  study.  Certainly  if  ever  there  is  need  of  the  help 
secured  by  a  close  connection,  between  topics  from 
Sunday  to  Sunday,  this  is  the  time.  Nevertheless, 
the  subject-matter  is  not  so  related.  A  few  years 
ago  the  highest  unit,  as  a  rule,  was  the  one-day's 


BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        203 

work ;  and  probably  a  majority  of  Sunday-schools 
follow  that  plan  at  the  present  time.  Instead  of 
receiving  some  impetus  from  the  preceding  lesson, 
the  work  begins,  each  Sunday,  anew.  And,  very 
often,  even  if  a  teacher  ardently  desired  to  obtain 
material  help  from  the  past  lessons,  it  would  be  use- 
less to  make  the  attempt,  because  the  topics  them- 
selves are  unrelated.  Yet  it  is  certainly  possible  so 
to  select  and  arrange  subject-matter  as  to  obtain  a 
close  sequence  of  thought  from  Sunday  to  Sunday, 
and  to  sustain  a  considerable  degree  of  interest. 
That  is  very  commonly  done  in  teaching  the  story 
of  Crusoe  to  seven-year  old  pupils  in  the  Public 
schools.  Suppose  that  a  child  has  reached  the  point 
where  Crusoe  has  managed  to  cut  a  suit  of  clothes 
from  the  hides  of  goats.  When  a  new  lesson  is 
begun,  interest  is  quickly  established,  for  the  moment 
the  question  is  put,  *'  Where  did  we  leave  Crusoe  ?  '\ 
the  answer  is  readily  given. 

In  the  Sunday-school  instruction  that  I  have 
known,  the  most  enjoyable  part  of  the  period  usually 
came  during  the  last  few  minutes.     Cannot 

r  4.        I,  11  u  I,  Difficulties 

many  of  you  teachers  recall  how  you  have  inSmnjay- 
yearned  for  just  five  minutes  more  ?     You   school  Les- 
had  worked  your  way  up  to  your  point,  and 
a  few  minutes  more   seemed   equal   in  worth  to  the 
preceding   thirty.      This  difficulty  will    be   partially 
met,   if  there   is   such   a   close   connection   between 
topics   from  Sunday   to  Sunday  as  good  biography 
affords.      The  thread   of  thought  could  be  speedily 
regained,   and  a  high   degree  of   momentum  might 
be  reached  long  before  the  close   of  the  recitation 


2  04        BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

period.  Not  merely  this:  we  can  remember  a  large 
number  of  facts  far  more  easily  if  they  are  woven 
into  a  narrative.  Whatever  is  isolated  is  easily  for- 
gotten, as,  for  instance,  the  brief  news  items,  and 
**  nuggets"  from  the  newspapers.  But  that  which 
is  to  prove  deeply  interesting,  and  to  be  long  held 
in  memory,  must  constitute  part  of  an  extensive 
chain  or  series  or  complex  of  thought.  It  is  chiefly 
this  kind  of  knowledge  that  can  have  much  effect 
upon  conduct.  The  work  of  tying  thought  together 
is  one  of  the  largest  duties  of  a  teacher,  and  is 
beginning  to  be  so  recognised  throughout  the  coun- 
try. Indeed,  knowledge  is  nothing  more  than 
related  thought;  and  unrelated  facts,  or  even  small 
groups  of  unrelated  facts,  are  unworthy  of  being  called 
knowledge.  Until  the  Sunday-school  instructor, 
therefore,  has  made  provision  for  a  very  close  relation 
of  topics  frorri  week  to  week,  he  has  neglected  one 
of  the  first  essentials  of  good  teaching. 

We  have  now  seen  one  of  the  reasons  for  urging 
the  importance  of  biography.  Another  reason  is  the 
fact  that  biography  is  remarkably  concrete. 
Biography  Concrete  subject-matter  is  the  kind  that 
is  concrete,  children  especially  like;  and,  what  is 
more,  it  is  the  kind  that  they  umst  have  if  they  are 
ever  to  reach  generalization.  Yet  Sunday-school 
instruction  is  prevailingly  abstract.  There  is  no 
truth  better  fixed  in  all  science  than  that  of  Induc- 
tion. Every  principle  of  the  physical  world  is 
reached  and  explained  through  concrete  data;  there 
is  no  other  way  for  the  mind  to  obtain  them.  And 
if  we,  as  teachers,  offer  such  generalizations,  without 


BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        205 

the  concrete  data,  we  offer  only  empty  words  to  the 
learner.  It  may  be  that  he  has  already  collected 
sufficient  data  to  interpret  the  words  himself,  and  in 
that  case  he  is  profited ;  but  even  then  he  shows  no 
exception  to  the  law. 

Literature  accepts  the  same  general  truth.      Any 
drama  of  Shakespeare,  or  any  good  novel  with  hun- 
dreds of  phases,  aims  to  present  very  few 
large  thoughts,  or  underlying  truths  to  the   accepts  this 
reader.        Most  of  the    space    is    occupied   Principle. 
with   concrete  details,  with  incidents  of  one  sort  or 
another,  that  are  necessary  as  a  groundwork.    Prob- 
ably there  are  one  hundred  pages  of  such  matter  to 
one  of  abstraction,  simply  because  the  human  mind 
requires  such  an  abundance  of  concrete  facts,  as  the 
basis  of  broad  generalization. 

Contrast    this   with    Sunday-school   practice.       A 
few    days    ago,    in    preparation    for    this    lecture,    I 
searched   about  for  a  sample  of  the   Sunday-school 
Lessons,  that  are  ordinarily  presented.      I   g    ^ 
found   a   Quarterly   in    recent   use,    whose  schools 
lessons  varied  from  9  to  17  verses,  averag-  ^^^°^®^ ' 
ing  about  12.      The  average  number  of  moral  truths 
suggested,  to   be   drawn  from   each   lesson,  was  five 
and  one-half,  and  the  actual  space  occupied  by  them 
was  about  one-third  of  that  occupied  by  the  verses. 
There  is  certainly  little  of  the  inductive  spirit  in  that 
kind  of  instruction.      I  was  much  impressed  with  the 
importance   of  this   point  during    the  past  Abuse  illus- 
week,  while  listening  to  a  class,  composed  ^^^^^  jl^^^^ 
largely  of  experienced  Day-school  teachers.    Girl." 
About  thirty  of  them  were   discussing  the  method  of* 


2o6       BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

presenting  Literature  to  children,  and  one  was  outlin- 
ing his  treatment  of  the  fairy  tale,  ' '  The  Little  Match 
Girl."  It  is  a  story  well  suited  to  children  seven 
years  of  age,  and  the  young  man  in  question  briefly 
related  how  the  little  girl  was  attempting  in  vain  to 
sell  matches  on  a  cold,  snowy  afternoon  in  a  crowded 
city.  Finally,  as  it  grew  dark,  she  started  across 
the  street  just  as  a  carriage  came  hurrying  along, 
and  in  her  haste  to  escape  injury  she  lost  one  of  her 
slippers.  At  this  point,  after  having  consumed  per- 
haps two  minutes  with  the  narrative,  the  young  man 
paused,  and  suggested  that  if  a  class  of  children  were 
present,  he  would  next  ask  them  the  following  ques- 
tions :  ' '  What  do  you  think  of  the  people  who  rode 
in  that  carriage  .''  What  should  they  have  done  .'' 
Why  didn't  they  get  out  and  help  her  ?  What  do 
you  think  of  such  hard-hearted  people  ?  "  Then, 
after  telling  of  some  of  her  further  vain  attempts  to 
sell  matches,  he  again  interrupted  the  story  with  the 
question :  ' '  Do  you  think  the  people  might  have 
bought  some  ?  Were  they  cruel  in  not  buying 
some  ?  What  is  your  opinion  about  that  ?  ' '  The 
young  man  himself  was  entirely  inexperienced  in 
teaching ;  but  among  the  others  present  there  was 
no  tendency  whatever  to  tolerate  such  instruction. 
The  feeling  was  strong  that,  if  one  is  presenting  a 
story,  he  should  do  so  with  few  or  no  interruptions 
for  moralizing,  unless  the  pupils  themselves  plainly 
express  a  demand  for  such  conversation.  Attention 
to  the  moral  should  rather  be  given  at  the  close  of 
the  narrative.  But  more  important  than  that,  these 
teachers  had  also  reached  the  conclusion  that  if  the 


BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        207 

narrative  occupied  as  much  as  ten  recitation  periods, 
one  additional  period  should  prove  sufficient 
for  the  moral ;  or,  in   other  words,  the  ratio  o/concrete*^° 
between  the  time  devoted  to  the  concrete  to  abstract, 
story  and  that  to  a   moral  truth  should  be 
fully  ten  to  one.      Even  then,  after  having  laid  such 
a  good  basis  for  a  generalization,  moralizing  should 
be  altogether  omitted,  unless  the  teacher  is  convinced 
that  he  has  the  full  confidence  of  the  children,  and 
that  the  story  is  well  understood  and  appreciated  by 
them.      It  was  generally  agreed  that,  otherwise,  dis- 
cussion of  moral  truths  and  attempts  to  apply  them 
to  the   lives   of  the   children   are  likely  to  result  in 
more  harm  than  good. 

You  recall  that,  at  the  beginning  of  my  remarks, 
I   proposed   to   base   most  of  what  I  said  upon   two 
truths,  namely,  that  religious  Instruction  is  controlled 
by  the   same   psychological  principles  as  any  other 
instruction ;   and  that  a  deep  interest  should  be  the 
highest   immediate  aim  of  the   teacher    of  religion. 
If  these  statements  are  really  true,  and  if  the  teachers 
above  referred  to  were  sound  in  their  views — as  I 
believe  they  were — we  reach  some  important  con- 
clusions.     Most  of  the   time   given  to  the   ggji^e  Re- 
Bible  instruction  of  children  should  be  con-   ligiousln- 
sumed  with  narratives  and  not  with  abstrac-   ^]^Q^ii  ^^ 
tions;  very  little  moralizing,  at  the  proper  mainly  nar- 

•     r      1  ^  r  rative  and 

time,  is  far  better  than  frequent  moral  talks,    not  moral- 
Most  effective  work  is   accomplished  when   ^^^°^' 
one  prepares  the  ground  well  by  means  of  stories, 
and  is  watchful  enough  to  take  advantage  of  a  few 


2o8        BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

fitting  opportunities  for  the  consideration  of  abstract 
religious  truths. 

According  to  what  has  preceded,  Sunday-school 
instruction  should  consist  mainly  of  history  from 
week  to  week.  In  following  the  lives  of  Moses, 
Joshua,  David,  etc.,  very  vivid  pictures  should  be 
built  up,  and  children  should  really  /ee/  the  incidents 
portrayed  in  the  lives  of  their  heroes.  Then  they 
are  in  a  position  to  appreciate  references  to  under- 
lying religious  thoughts,  and  at  such  times  conversa- 
tions, touching  deep  religious  truths  and  their 
application  to  their  own  lives,  are  fully  in 
place. 

While  thus  advocating  Biography,  I  do  not  forget 
that  it  is  not  the  highest  form  of  historical  study. 
In  following  the  development  of  a  whole  nation,  we 
are  pursuing  broader  lines  of  work  than  in  observing 
the  life  of  an  individual.  But  that  is  employment 
better  suited  to  adults  than  to  children. 

There  is  one  objection  to  biographical  study  that 
should  be  borne  in  mind.  That  is  the  tendency, 
while  dealing  with  a  great  hero,  to  forget 
io^Bio^ra^hv  ^^^^  rnass  of  the  people.  The  one  man  is 
separated  from  society  and  idolized,  while 
proper  teaching  of  history  brings  pupils  into  the 
closest  touch  with  great  social  problems.  The 
Hebrew  characters  are,  however,  to  some  extent 
exceptional,  for  they  live  for  their  people.  Joseph, 
for  example,  gives  his  life  for  his  race,  and  it  is 
possible  to  bring  out  that  thought  frequently. 

These  biographies  furnish  an  excellent  outline  for 


BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        209 

the  other  Bible  facts  that  are  later  to  be  acquired. 
That  is  one  element  of  their  worth.     When  3,  Biography- 
children    have   become    men    and    women,  forms  good 
they  are  greatly  in  need  of  a  framework  on  for  other 
which  to  fit  whatever  additional  facts  they  ^^°*^" 
learn.      Biographical  study  involves  a  fair  classifica- 
tion   of  knowledge,    for    the    ideas    are    necessarily 
arranged  in  great  series.      A  striking  difficulty  with 
the  majority  of  Sunday-school    teachers  is  the  fact 
that  their  knowledge  is  in  a  chaotic  state.      Having 
studied  one  lesson  at  a  time,  with  little  reference  to 
what  preceded  or  followed,  they  may  have  become 
acquainted  with  many  details,  but  these  are  not  organ- 
ized, and  their  knowledge   lacks  unity.      If  most  of 
what  we  as  children   learned  in  the   Sunday-school 
had  been  centred  about  eight  or  a  dozen  biographies, 
we  might  have  had  a  real  system  of  events  in  which 
innumerable    other    fragments    of   knowledge,    that 
have  in  fact  been  lost,  might  have  been  tied. 

The   need    in    biographical    study   of  delaying   to 
teach  the  moral  or  religious  truth  until  the  narrative 
is  reasonably  complete  has  already  been  re-    .    .  j 
ferred  to.      But  this  is  by  no  means  one  of  helpful  in 
the  minor  elements  of  worth  in  biography.      ®'^®^^' 
It  might  further  be  mentioned  that  since  it  is  so  easy 
and   natural  to  compare  great  men,  a  biographical 
arrangement  of  subject-matter  makes  special  provi- 
sion for  reviews.      This  itself  is  one  of  the  most  valu- 
able tests  of  the  proper  arrangement  of  a  curriculum. 

I  have  only  one  other  suggestion.  It  is  so  easy 
to  comprehend  what  is  included  under  a  dozen 
biographies,   and   relatively  so   easy  to   amass   that 


2IO        BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION, 

amount  of  knowledge,  that  it  might  be  in  place,  in 
5.  Good  for  ^^^  near  future,  to  require  all  who  desire 
Examinations  to  teacli  in  Sunday-schools  to  pass  an  ex- 

for  Sunday-  .         .  ^i     .  •  r     t-»-i  i 

school  teacli-  ammation  upon  that  portion  or  r>ible 
^^^'  subject-matter.      As  was  said  at  the  begin- 

ning, good  intentions  do  not  guarantee  good  re- 
sults in  instruction.  For  that  purpose  clear  know- 
ledge is  necessary,  and  obedience  to  law.  Sunday- 
school  instructors  are  probably  even  more  in  need 
of  organized  knowledge  of  Bible  facts  than  of 
method.  Yet  it  has  been  very  difficult  to  map  out  a 
certain  quantity  of  matter  which  any  teacher  should 
possess  as  a  minimum  requirement.  This,  it  seems 
to  me,  might  be  a  practical  minimum.  And  if 
teachers  passed  through  an  examination  in  the  prin- 
cipal biographies  in  the  Bible,  they  would  certainly 
be  far  better  fitted  to  teach  religion  than  they  now 
are. 

If  I  were  asked  at  what  age  I  should  recommend 
the  exclusive  use  of  biography  in  the  Sunday-school, 
I  should  say  that,  having  the  same  problem  in  the 
Day-school  work  in  regard  to  the  biography  there 
taught,  our  answer  is  that  we  should  give  biography 
Age  for  until  perhaps  twelve  years  of  age.      Many 

Biography,  would  prefer  to  continue  it,  I  think, 
throughout  the  grades  of  the  Common-school,  or  at 
least  until  the  last  year,  when  the  pupil  is  thirteen 
years  of  age.  But  inasmuch  as  so  many  Sunday- 
school  teachers  have  not  yet  put  the  different  facts 
together  that  make  up  the  biographies  of  the  Bible, 
they  could  well  afford  to  continue  somewhat  longer 
with  biography. 


Teachers 
must  deal 


BIOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        211 

I  have  said  enough  about  the  personality  of  the 
teacher.  If  the  children  have  great  confidence  in 
her,  then  her  mere  assertion  of  moral  and 
religious  truths  is  likely  to  have  much 
weis^ht.      But  as  an  instructor,  she  is  deal-    chiefly  with 

Facts. 

ing  primarily  with  facts, — the  truths  con- 
tained in  the  Bible.  She  may  affirm  all  that  she  well 
can.  That  is  one  side  of  her  influence.  But  her 
actual  instruction  must  deal  with  this  subject-matter, 
and  the  only  way  by  which  she  can  influence, — that 
is,  reach  the  understanding  and  feeling  and  life, — in 
the  presentation  of  the  subject-matter,  is  to  follow 
the  development  of  the  mind.  She  is  there  subjected 
entirely  to  mental  laws.  I  wish  that  I  could  know 
whether  you  feel  that  my  idea  in  regard  to  the  rela- 
tive time  devoted  to  moralizing  in  Sunday-schools  is 
correct,  and  whether  my  experience  is  exceptional 
or  not.  But  I  have  attended  at  least  one  class  in 
Sunday-school,  as  a  child,  where  nearly  every  verse 
was  supposed  to  teach  an  abstract  truth,  so  that 
when  each  one  was  read,  the  teacher  asked,  ^'  Now 
what  do  we  learn  from  that  ?  ' '  Again  I  repeat  that 
the  plan  of  work  probably  originated  in  the  supposi- 
tion that  the  Bible  conveys  mainly  abstract  religious 
truth,  and  that  each  verse  is  a  unit  in  presenting  it. 
My  desire  is  to  suggest  that  each  verse  is  not  neces- 
sarily related  to  any  religious  truth  directly.  It  may 
be  merely  one  small  item  in  a  group  of  facts  which 
together  lead  to  such  a  truth. 


IX. 

THE   USE    OF    GEOGRAPHY    IN   RELI- 
GIOUS   INSTRUCTION. 

By  Professor  Charles  Foster  Kent,  of  Brown  University. 


SYNOPSIS  OF  LECTURE  IX.  * 

Importance  of  Biblical  Geography. 

Illustrations  of  its  Use  in  Sunday-school. 

It  makes  History  real  and  living. 

Geography  of  Palestine   moulded  the  character  and  history  of  its 

people. 
In  Geography  the  Past  and  Present  meet. 
How  to  make  its  results  of  practical  value  to  students. 
Its  importance  for  a  General  Education. 
Biblical  Geography  incompletely  taught  in  Sunday-schools. 
Good  School-libraries  important  to  reach  best  results. 
Suggested    Books   for    School-libraries  on    Palestine,    Egypt,    Baby- 
lonia, and  Asia  Minor. 
Wall  Maps,  Colton's,  etc. 

Palestine  Exploration  Fund,- — its  Maps  and  Books. 
The  Divisions  or  Departments  of  Biblical  Geography. 

Descriptive  Geography.      Palestine,  Egypt,  Assyria. 
Physical  Geography.     Palestine. 

The  Six  Zones  or  Divisions  of  Palestine. 
The  Rivers  of  Palestine. 
Egypt  and  Babylonia. 

Manufacture  of  Physical  or  Bas-relief  Maps  by  Pupils. 
Geological  Geography. 
Commercial  Geography. 
Racial  Geography. 
Historical  Geography. 
General  Suggestions  on  Study  of  Biblical  Geography. 
Make  its  scope  comprehensive. 
Study  the  earth  in  its  relation  to  man  upon  it. 
Remember  that  Geography  is  but  a  Step  to  Bible-study. 
Answer  to  Question  :    "Does  Scientific  Study  produce  Personal  Re- 
ligious Interest?  " 

Personal  Faith  is  not  unsettled. 
New  Interest  in  Bible  is  created. 

The  Majority,  electing  College  Bible  Courses,  not  those  en- 
tering the  Ministry. 
Bible  Students  in  the  Universities.     Number  growing  rapidly. 
True  Scientific  Methods  the  only  ones  to  apply. 
Answer  to  Question  as  to  Natural  Boundary  between  Samaria  and 
Judea. 

It  is  a  case  of  merging,  rather  than  of  true  boundary. 


THE   USE  OF  GEOGRAPHY   IN  RELIGIOUS 
INSTRUCTION. 

Modern  investigation  is  demonstrating  more  and 
more  clearly  to  how  great  an  extent  the  faith  as  well 
as  the  history  of  every  people  is  determined  by  their 
environment. 

Fortunately  that  chapter  of  revelation,  written  so 
many  ages  ago  by  the  hand  of  God  on  the  surface 
of  the  earth,   and  which  we    call  Biblical 

.  Importance 

geography,  can  be  read  as  distmctly  to-day  of  Biblical 
as  three  thousand  years  ago.  The  noble  ^^eography. 
results  of  the  scientists  who  have  laboured,  especially 
during  the  past  century,  enable  us  to  appreciate  its 
significance  and  meaning  as  never  before  in  human 
history.  No  longer  do  we  regard  the  earth  as  man's 
foe,  jealously  withholding  from  him  her  treasures  and 
secrets,  but  rather  as  his  true  friend  and  teacher — 
rigorous  at  times,  but  always  just  and  thorough,  if 
he  will  but  learn. 

In  this  age,  in  which  almost  every  department  of 
genuine  scientific  investigation  is  throwing  its  floods 
of  new  light  upon  the  pages  of  the  Bible,  geography, 
in  the  broad  sense  in  which  that  term  is  now  used, 
brings  to  the  students  of  God's  Word  its  rich  contri- 

215 


2i6       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

bution ;  and  we  miss  much  if  we  do  not  avail  our- 
selves of  all  that  it  offers.  • 

It  is  sufficient  merely  to  suggest  a  few  of  the  many 
ways  in  which  the  study  of  Biblical  geography  can 
be  made  of  the  greatest  value  to  the  earnest  scholar 
and  practical  teacher.  No  longer  is  it  possible  to 
see  with  the  physical  eye  the  peoples  whose  life  and 
thoughts  are  recorded  in  the  Bible ;  but  we  may  view 
through  our  own  eyes  or  those  of  modern  travellers 
the  scenes  of  their  activity.  A  personal  interest  is 
at  once  aroused,  which  is  shared  by  the  youngest  as 
well  as  the  oldest  pupil.  Thus  Biblical  geography 
furnishes  a  natural  and  concrete  introduction  to  each 
department  of  Bible-study. 

One  of  my  legal  friends,  not  long  ago,  was  asked, 

not  because  of  his  especial   acquaintance  with   the 

Bible,    but   because  of  his  inventive  spirit 

niiistratioiis  ^^^  earnestness,  to  assume  charg-e  of  a 
of  its  use.  '  ° 

difficult  Bible-class.  It  was  not  the  tradi- 
tional class  of  incorrigibles,  but  rather  a  representa- 
tive class  with  which  we,  as  superintendents  and 
teachers,  have  to  deal  constantly — a  class  of  boys 
from  fourteen  to  sixteen,  coming  from  homes  of  cul- 
ture, acquainted  with  the  elements  of  Bible  history 
and  literature ;  boys  looking  forward  to  college  and 
business  life ;  with  ambitions,  in  touch  with  the  mod- 
ern spirit,  but  boys,  nevertheless,  whom  none  of  the 
many  teachers  who  had  attempted  it  had  been  able 
to  hold ;  boys,  just  cutting  loose  from  their  moorings 
in  the  Sunday-school,  who  present  the  most  difficult 
problem  with  which  we  have  to  deal.  My  friend 
realized  that  methods  other  than  the  ordinary  must 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        217 

be  adopted,  and  proposed  that  they  study  ancient 
Jerusalem.  They  began,  of  course,  with  the  Jeru- 
salem of  to-day.  With  the  aid  of  maps  and  guide- 
books they  studied  the  city,  until  none  of  them 
would  have  been  lost  in  its  maze  of  streets  and 
alleys.  Not  satisfied  with  a  mere  knowledge  of  the 
surface,  they  began  to  dig  beneath  the  modern  town, 
following  the  results  of  the  Palestine  Exploration 
Society,  tracing  the  walls  of  the  ancient  city  and 
becoming  acquainted  with  its  contents  and  environ- 
ment, until  in  time  they  were  so  enthusiastic  over 
the  City  of  Jerusalem,  that  not  only  did  they  meet 
each  Sunday  afternoon,  but  in  addition  they  were 
frequently  found  during  the  week  at  the  home  of 
their  teacher.  When  they  had  mastered  Jerusalem, 
ancient  and  modern,  they  themselves  suggested  that 
they  take  up  the  study  of  some  one  of  the  books  of 
the  Bible  which  were  most  closely  associated  with 
Jerusalem.  Naturally  they  selected  the  Gospel  of 
St.  John,  and  they  burrowed  through  the  wealth  of 
learning  and  religious  teaching  contained  in  that 
marvellous  book,  until  as  the  months  went  by  they 
came  naturally  and  almost  unconsciously  into  touch 
with  the  Mind  o{  the  Master.  If  the  enthusiasm  of 
the  teacher  was  any  guide,  nothing  could  have  kept 
the  members  of  the  class  from  their  Bible-work ;  for 
often  have  I  seen  him,  as  he  went  down  to  his  office 
in  the  suburban  train,  talking  with  a  brother  lawyer 
in  regard  to  some  question  raised  by  the  Book  of 
John.  I  have  seen  him  keep  a  line  of  clients  wait- 
ing, while  he  presented  some  of  his  conclusions  in 
regard   to  the    interpretation  of  a  certain   passage. 


2i8       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

At  present  the  class  are  studying  Hebrew  history. 
They  started  with  Jerusalem,  with  something  con- 
crete; by  natural  stages  they  became  interested  in 
new  subjects,  until  step  by  step  they  are  covering 
the  Old  and  the  New  Testament. 

Biblical  geography  also  provides  the  only  effective 
corrective  to  one  of  the  greatest  dangers  threatening 

all  study  of  the  Bible.      Unconsciously  and 
Makes  His-         ,  .         .     ,  ,  ,  .,  ,  ,  "^     , 

toryreal         almost  mevitably,  children,  at  least,   rele- 

and  living,  gate  the  events  and  characters  of  that 
ancient  Oriental  world  (so  different  from  the  one 
with  which  they  are  familiar)  to  a  nebulous  realm, 
far  removed  from  earth  and  the  realities  of  life. 
Biblical  geography  not  only  assigns  them  to  a 
definite  place,  but  also  takes  them  from  the  land  of 
clouds  and  makes  them  real  and  living. 

It  further  establishes  their  reality,  by  revealing  the 
conditions  and  forces  which  produced  those  events 
and  shaped  those  characters.  The  location  of  the 
land  of  Canaan  in  the  centre  of  a  circle  of  hostile 
nations  shows  at  once  why  it  was  absolutely  neces- 
sary for  the  Hebrews,  if  they  were  to  maintain  their 
independence,  to  unite  under  a  king  like  Saul,  and 
not  only  to  defend  themselves,  but  also  to  extend 
their  conquests  until  they  became  masters  of  Pales- 
tine, from  the  coast  plains  on  the  west  to  the  desert 
on  the  east.  The  contrast  between  the  narrow, 
intense,  bigoted  Jews  of  New  Testament  times,  and 
the  fickle,  self-indulgent,  generous  Samaritans  is 
explained  wdien  we  compare  the  rocky,  unproduc- 
tive, sombre  hills  of  Judea  with  the  open,  rolling, 
richly  fruitful   fields  of  Samaria.      Man  in  antiquity 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        219 

certainly  was  influenced  far  more  than  to-day  by  his 
environment ;  and  yet  we  must  still  go  to  the  Scottish 
highlands  to  understand  Scotch  character,  or  to  sea- 
girt Holland  to  appreciate  the  Dutch. 

The  background  of  the  thought  and  revelation  of 
the  Bible  is  the  life  of  the  peoples  who  figured  in  it, 
and  the  background  of  their  life  and  history 
is  the  land  in  which  they  lived.     As  we  are   of  Palestine 
coming  universally  to  realize  that  the  his-   moulded  the 
torical  is  the  only  true  method  by  which  to   and  history 
study    the    Bible,    even    so,    as    a    logical  °^^^^  mhahi- 
sequence,  we  must  recognise  that  its  his- 
tory  can    never   be    thoroughly  or   half  understood 
without  an  intimate  knowledge  of  its  geography. 

Not  only  upon  the  history  and  character  of  every 
people  has  geography  left  its  stamp,  but  also  upon 
all  human  thought  and  literature.  Pre-eminently  is 
this  true  of  the  Bible,  for  no  people  of  antiquity  lived 
in  closer  touch  with  Nature  than  did  the  Hebrews. 
The  topography  and  natural  characteristics  of  Pales- 
tine are  reflected  in  almost  every  psalm,  prophecy, 
and  parable  which  they  have  given  us.  The  cedars 
of  Lebanon,  Mt.  Hermon,  the  flowing  springs,  the 
restless  sea,  the  lion  of  the  wilderness,  the  eagle  of 
the  mountains,  the  lily  of  the  valley,  the  humble 
sparrows  of  Palestine,  are  as  familiar  to  us  through 
the  literature  of  the  Bible,  as  the  scenes  which  greet 
our  eyes  each  day.  Nature  was  the  great  storehouse 
from  which  the  Biblical  writers  drew  their  varied 
figures  and  illustrations.  Hence  the  study  of  that 
Nature  is  one  of  the  most  important  and  illuminating 
commentaries  upon  the  marvellous  literature  which 


2  20       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

they  have  given  us.  The  study  of  geography  throws 
back  the  curtain  and  reveals  the  theatre  and  stage- 
setting  amidst  which  the  greatest  drama  of  human 
history  was  enacted.  It  makes  clear  the  actual  rela- 
tions of  the  different  actors  to  each  other.  With  the 
aid  of  our  enlightened  imagination  we  can  make  them 
live,  and  lo !  that  ancient  life  is  again  a  reality. 
The  picturesque  valley  of  Michmash  ceases  to  be 
merely  a  lonely  glen,  and  suddenly  becomes  the 
scene  of  that  courageous  attack  of  Jonathan  upon  the 
Philistine  garrison  which  turned  the  tide  of  battle 
and  gave  the  Hebrews  their  independence.  The 
Jerusalem  of  to-day — grim,  stony,  dirty,  and  un- 
attractive in  itself — has  been  the  theatre  of  that  which 
was  basest  and  crudest  and  meanest,  and  at  the 
same  time  of  all  that  was  noblest  and  bravest  and 
best  in  human  history. 

On  these  theatres  the  past  is  brought  into  close 
and  vital  relations  with  the  present.  On  the  plain 
of  Megiddo  Thotmes  III.,  Necho,  and  Napoleon 
^  ^         ,     walk  in  the  same  well-beaten  paths.     After 

In  Q-eograpny,  ^  _  ^ 

past  and  journeying  over  the  hot  plains  of  Samaria, 
present  meet.  ^^^  traveller  feels,  as  he  sits  by  the  well  of 
Sychar,  the  same  thirst  as  prompted  the  Saviour  to 
speak  to  the  woman  whom  He  once  found  there 
drawing  water.  Visiting  in  person,  or  through  the 
eyes  of  geographers  viewing  those  Oriental  lands, 
we  find  the  wide  chasm  which  yawns  between  that 
ancient  life  and  our  own  suddenly  bridged,  and  we 
ourselves  indeed  live  in  the  past,  and  for  the  first 
time  understand  its  life,  think  its  thoughts,  and 
appreciate  the  rare  simplicity,  beauty,  and  power  of 


GEOGRAFHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.        221 

its  literature.  Above  all  God's  revelation,  recorded 
in  the  Bible,  ceases  to  be  a  distant  theological  ab- 
straction, and  becomes  a  personal,  objective  reality. 
Realizing  the  value  and  importance  of  the  study 
of  Biblical  geography,  the  practical  question  at  once 
arises,  How  can  its  results  be  broug-ht  to  tt        , 

^  How  make 

the  great  body  of  students  who  command   its  results 
our  earnest  attention  ?     Although  it  may  ^s^to^stu^ 
seem   aside    from    our    purpose,    I    cannot  dents. 
refrain  from  emphasizing  the  need  of  a  more  thorough 
study  of  Bible  lands  in   our  public  and  preparatory 
schools.      The  field  of  Biblical  geography  is  broad, 
and  its  bounds  are  constantly  being  extended.     With 
all   the  other  opportunities   and  demands  upon  the 
short  Sunday-school  hour,  it  is  impossible  to  go  into 
the  details  of  this  study.      They  properly  belong  to 
the  secular  schools.      The  importance  of  the  history 
and    literature   of  which   they   are   the   background 
certainly  justifies  their  claim  for  a  place  side  by  side 
with  the  geography  of  Greece,  Italy,  and  England. 
Unfortunately  that  place  is  not  now  accorded  them. 
Together  with  the  Hebrew  and  Jewish  classics  they 
have  been  almost  entirely  excluded  from 

,  ,        ,  T     •  •       T  r  Important 

our  secular  schools.  It  is  a  significant  fact  for  a  general 
that  the  province  of  Victoria,  Australia,  education. 
which  a  few  years  ago  decreed  that  the  name  of 
Christ  should  be  expurgated  from  all  text-books,  is 
already  seriously  agitating  the  question  of  introduc- 
ing Bible-study  into  the  Public-schools. 

It  is  an  anomalous  state  of  affairs  which  exists 
to-day  throughout  the  Christian  world :  while  we 
compel    our    pupils    to    study    the    pagan,    French, 


222       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

German,  and  English  classics,  we  almost  completely 
ignore  that  body  of  literature  and  that  history  which 
have  done  more  to  mould  our  modern  life  and 
thought  than  any  others. 

The  forces  which  drove  the  Bible  from  our  Public- 
schools  have  spent  themselves,  and  in  the  light  of 
modern  methods  of  study  the  old  objections  are  no 
longer  valid.  Shall  we  all  who  love  truth  unite, 
irrespective  of  creed,  in  restoring  the  Bible  to  its  true 
place  ?  Already  in  most  of  our  leading  colleges  and 
universities  the  restoration  has  been  effected,  and  the 
large  number  of  men  electing  the  Biblical  courses 
demonstrates  the  wisdom  of  the  step. 

When  once  the  restoration  is  effected  in  our- 
primary  secular  schools,  the  Sunday-school  teacher 
will  have  what  is  now  so  sadly  lacking — a  basis  of 
knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  pupil,  upon  which  to 
build.  One  of  the  greatest  defects  in  our  Sunday- 
school  system  of  to-day  is  that,  in  our  commendable 
eagerness  to  mould  the  moral  character  of  our 
scholars,  we  seek  to  enforce  ethical  truths  by  means 
of  facts  and  illustrations  with  which  they  and  often 
we  ourselves  are  only  imperfectly  familiar.  The 
spirit  of  the  age  calls  for  more  fact,  if  not  less 
preaching,  and  we  will  fall  far  short  of  our  aim  if  we 
refuse  to  recognise  its  demand. 

No  one  will  deny  that  at  present  Biblical  geography 

is  ordinarily  taught  in  our  Sunday-schools  without 

Biblical  Geo-  system  and    in    a    haphazard,    incomplete 

completely      manner.      The    reason    is    chiefly   because 

taught  in        it  lias    no   definite  place    in   the   Sunday- 
Sunday-  ,  . 
schools.          scnool  curriculum.      It  only  hnds  a  place 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       223 

in  the  ordinary  classroom  when  an  event  must  be 
locaHzed.  No  time  is  given  for  that  broad,  compre- 
hensive study  which  simpHfies,  co-ordinates,  and 
illuminates  all  details.  Until  the  Public-school  re- 
lieves us  of  the  responsibility,  each  Sunday-school 
teacher,  or  at  least  each  graded  Sunday-school, 
should  devote  certain  time — better  months  than 
weeks,  for  the  ultimate  profit  in  interest  and  intelli- 
gence will  richly  repay — to  the  systematic  study  of 
Biblical  geography. 

Geography,  in  the  modern  scientific  sense,  is  such 
a  new  study  that  it  is  not  surprising  that  thoroughly 
satisfactory    text-books    are    not   at    hand.      When 
we   once    fully   appreciate   the   need,    they   will    be 
speedily  forthcoming.     Advanced  students   ^^^^  ^^^^^^ 
are    better    provided    with    books    to-day  libraries  im- 
than  the  primary  department.      Since  we  ^°^  ^^  ' 
have   no   one   text-book  or  books  which  meet  that 
need,    we   are    obliged    to    depend    upon    reference 
libraries.       Our     Sunday-schools     should,     without 
exception,    be     equipped    with    complete    reference 
libraries,    containing   all  the   really  valuable    books 
bearing  upon  Bible-study,   and   many  duplicates   of 
the  most  useful. 

It  is  a  most  unfortunate  anomaly  or  medisevalism 
in  our  modern  Sunday-school  system  that  in  this  age 
when  our  homes  are  filled  with  more  good  and  in- 
teresting literature  than  we  can  possibly  find  time  to 
read,  not  only  our  Mission-schools,  where  conditions 
are  different,  but  also  the  Sunday-schools  in  which 
you  and  I  are  interested,  have  libraries  filled  with 
story-books,    not  always   of  the   highest    character, 


224       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

while  in  most  cases  you  may  search  in  vain  for  up- 
to-date  reference-books,  bearing  upon  that  subject 
which  is  supposed  to  be  the  chief  object  of  Sunday- 
school  instruction. 

I  think  at  this  point  it  will  be  of  practical  value  to 

speak    somewhat    in    detail    of   those    books    which 

should  find  such  a  place  on  our  shelves  and 

Suggested      especially  in  our  Sunday-school  libraries. 

books  for  ...  11/- 

school-li-        The  historical  geography  by  George  Adam 
J'^^p^i'  .-       Smith  is  in  many  ways  the  most  important 
contribution  ever  made  to  the  geographical 
study  of  Palestine.      With  the  soul  of  a  scholar,  and 
with  that  picturesque   style  which  characterizes  all 
that  comes  from  his  pen,  he  leads  us  through  Pales- 
tine,   not  aimlessly,    not   merely  as    travellers;    but 
with  a  broad  outlook  he  gives  us  definite  impressions 
of  its  different  zones,  and  points  out,  with  his  rare 
skill,    their  distinctive  characteristics  and  the  influ- 
ences which  they  have  exerted  upon  the  people  who 
have  lived   among  their  hills  and  valleys.      Unfor- 
tunately it  is  a  book  whose  price  perhaps  precludes 
putting  it  into  the  hands  of  every  scholar;  but  it  cer- 
tainly  should    find    a    place    in    our    Sunday-school 
libraries.     Another  important  book  has  been  recently 
issued  by  Townsend  MacCoun,  who  approaches  his 
theme,    "The  Holy  Land  in  Geography  and   His- 
tory," not  with  the  technical  knowledge  of  a  Biblical 
specialist,   but   with    the   preparation   of  a   practical 
maker  of  geographies   and  maps.      In  the  details  of 
the  maps,  in  the  originality  which  he  has  manifested, 
in  the  practical  way  he  presents  the  facts,   he  has 
given,  especially  in  his  first  volume,  which  deals  with 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       225 

the  physical  geography,  an  exceedingly  useful  hand- 
book for  Bible  teachers  and  scholars. 

Some  of  you  arc  familiar  with  Hurlburt  and  Vin- 
cent's "  Manual  of  Bible  Geography."  While  there 
is  much  that  is  good  in  it,  I  regret  to  say  that  it 
does  not  represent  the  results  of  modern  investiga- 
tion, which  are  in  themselves  helpful  and  stimulat- 
ing. While  it  may  be  useful  for  primary  pupils,  the 
advanced  students  demand  something  more  funda- 
mental and  suggestive. 

Thompson's  "The  Land  and  the  Book"  will 
never  cease  to  have  a  real  value.  It  lacks  the 
scientific  arrangement  of  the  work  of  Professor 
Smith ;  but  we  are  able,  looking  through  the  eyes  of 
this  man,  who  was  a  keen  observer  of  life,  to  travel 
through  Palestine,  and  see  its  sights  and  almost  feel 
that  we  are  there  in  person. 

The  same  is  true  of  Dean  Stanley's  work,  old  but 
valuable,  "  Sinai  and  Palestine,"  for  the  graphic  pen 
of  that  gifted  English  scholar  has  illuminated  for  all 
time  the  land  of  sacred  memories. 

As  we  pass  beyond  the  sphere  of  Palestine  (for 
our  subject  is  broad  to-day)  to  the  study  of  Egypt, 

which  is  so  closely  related  to  Palestine,  I 

114.  A    ^u  •  u      4.  ^^^  Egypt, 

urge  you  all  to  read   the  openmg  chapters 

of  Professor  Erman's  '*  Egyptian  Life.  "      Especially 

in  his  description  of  Egypt  do  we  find  much  that  is 

stimulating  and  exceedingly  fascinating. 

The  same  is  true  of  Douglas's  *'  History  of  Civili- 
zation "  (in  the  first  volume,  chapter  2). 

As  we  pass  to  Babylonia,  we  have  rich  literature, 
coming  from  the  great  host  of  explorers  who  have 


22  6       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

delved  below  the  surface  and   have   given   us  pen- 
pictures  of  that  which  the   spade  has   un- 
'  covered.      We    are    all    interested    in    the 
volumes    published  by  Rev.   John  P.    Peters,  D.D., 
giving  us  the  results  of  the  explorations  of  the  ex- 
pedition sent  out  by  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
For  the  study  of  Asia  Minor,  we  are  much  better 
equipped  than  ever  before,  as  a  result  of  the  original 
work   of   Professor   Ramsey.      His    ' '  Geography    of 
(d)  Asia         Asia  Minor  "  is  exceedingly  valuable,  and 
Minor.  for  the  missionary  journeys  of  St.  Paul,  we 

all  must  have  at  hand  his  "Travels  of  Paul."  I 
would  also  recommend  Stanford's  *'  Compendium  of 
Geography, ' '  especially  in  its  studies  in  Greece  and 
Italy. 

In  Wall  Maps,  I  regret  to  say  that  we  are  not 
well  equipped.  The  maps  which  are  in  many  ways 
the  best  yet  published  are  those  issued  by 
Colton.  They  are  valuable  because  they 
can  be  seen  at  a  distance,  because  they  present  the 
broad  outlines,  the  salient  points  in  the  landscape, 
and  leave  out  the  details ;  but  they  are  not  up-to- 
date.  They  do  not  fairly  represent  the  modern  con- 
ceptions of  Biblical  history,  and  do  little  towards 
introducing  us  to  the  physical  geography  of  Pales- 
tine. Other  maps  available  are  open  to  the  same 
general  criticism. 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  speak  of  the  work  of  the 
Palestine       Palestine    Exploration    Fund, — familiar,    I 
Exploration    am  sure,   to  most    of  us.      Its    chief  geo- 
graphical results  are  made  accessible  to  all 
in  the  great  map  of  Palestine,  based  upon  careful  sur- 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       227 

veys  conducted  by  the  Fund.  It  will  remain  for  a 
long-  time  the  basis  of  all  other  maps  of  Palestine. 
The    Wall   Map  contains  too  many  details 

,  -  ,  ,  (a)  Maps. 

to  be  useful  except  for  personal  reference ; 
but  the  large  bas-relief  map,  although  expensive, 
is  the  most  profitable  help  which  a  Sunday-school  or 
•  Bible  Class  can  possibly  acquire.  Smaller  sizes  are 
issued,  and  may  be  advantageously  put  in  the  hands 
of  students,  but  the  large  relief  map,  showing  the 
hills  and  valleys,  making  Palestine's  contour  familiar 
through  the  eye  to  the  youngest  student,  is  invalu- 
able for  the  classroom. 

Besides  these  excellent  maps,  which  have  added 
so  much  to  our  knowledge,  we  place  the  books  which 
the  Fund  has  also  issued.  Two  or  three 
are  especially  serviceable.  I  refer  to  Con- 
der's  "Tent  Life  in  Palestine,"  which  we  may  use 
side  by  side  with  Thompson's  "The  Land  and  the 
Book  ' '  in  studying  the  land  as  the  scientific  traveller 
sees  it.  The  recent  volume  by  Dr.  Bliss  on  "Ex- 
cavations at  Jerusalem  "  enables  us  to  reconstruct 
now  the  southern  walls  of  the  city,  and  to  trace  with 
comparative  definiteness  the  outlines  of  the  Jerusalem 
of  David  and  Nehemiah.  In  addition,  the  Palestine 
Exploration  P'und  issues  a  Quarterly  Statement, 
which  keeps  us  in  touch  with  the  latest  results  of 
excavation.  Many  of  them  are  most  suggestive  and 
stimulating,  especially  at  this  time,  when  the  Fund 
is  trying  to   identify  the  old  Philistine  town  of  Gath. 

As  we  pass  from  the  consideration  of  helps  to  that 
of  method,  I  can  only  hope  to  offer  a  few  practical 
suggestions.      As  geography  has  been  reduced  to  an 


228       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUGTION. 

exTiCt  science,  its  content  has  been  greatly  extend- 
^      ,      ,    ed.      Four  or  five  distinct  departments  are 

DeDartments  _  ^ 

of  Biblical  now  included  under  it,  and  each  presents 
eogiap  y.  j^^  peculiar  problems  and  results.  The 
first  is  that  of  Descriptive  Geography,  which  treats  of 
1.  Descriptive  the  relations  of  seas  and  mountains  and 
(jeography.  cities.  While  in  many  ways  the  least  inter-- 
esting,  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  departments. 
I  recall  a  description  of  Palestine  which  I  happened 
to  overhear  in  one  of  our  city  Bible-classes,  con- 
ducted by  a  theological  stiident.  After  much  dis- 
cussion, the  class  concluded  that  the  Holy  Land  was 
about  400  miles  long,  and  the  Sea  of  Galilee  50" 
miles  long.  From  practical  experience  with  college 
classes,  I  have  become  convinced  that  the  same 
fallacies  are  deep-seated.  The  reason,  of  course,  is 
not  difficult  to  find.  The  maps  of  Palestine  are 
usually  so  greatly  enlarged  that  they  give  a  false 
impression  of  its  relative  size,  which  can  only  be 
corrected  by  studying.  Two  wall  maps  should  be 
the  possession  of  every  Sunday-school  class:  the 
one  of  Palestine,  and  the  other  of  the  lands  of  the 
Eastern  Mediterranean.  No  event  of  Biblical  his- 
tory should  be  studied  without  being  localized.  By 
the  use  of  the  map  the  teacher  imparts  facts  through 
the  medium  of  the  eyes  as  well  as  the  ears,  and  at 
the  same  time  commands  the  attention  of  the  whole 
class. 

Where  wall  maps  cannot  be  conveniently  used, 
ask  your  pupils,  as  you  begin,  for  example,  the  study 
of  the  Life  of  Christ,  to  draw  a  map  of  Palestine,  not 
presenting  minutiae,    but  indicating   the   location   of 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       229 

the  larger  cities,  the  mountains,  the  rivers,  and  the 
seas.  li  they  seem  incapable  themselves  of  drawing 
a  correct  map,  give  them  tracing-paper,  and  direc- 
tions so  that  from  a  convenient  map  they  can  copy 
the  outlines.  Then,  as  the  study  progresses,  ask 
them  at  each  stage  to  indicate  the  Journeys  of  the 
Master,  and  the  places  at  which  He  taught  and  per- 
formed His  miracles.  I  am  assured,  from  practical 
experience,  that  at  the  end  of  this  study  you  will 
find  that  tliere  is  a  definiteness,  an  interest,  a  back- 
ground of  knowledge  in  the  minds  of  your  scholars, 
which  will  make  the  acts,  and  teachings,  and  per- 
sonality of  Jesus  a  living  reality.  Map-making,  in 
connection  with  the  study  of  St.  Paul's  Missionary 
Travels,  will  prove  equally  profitable.  When  the 
landmarks  and  boundaries  are  fixed,  we  should 
always  endeavour  to  illuminate  the  Descriptive 
Department  of  Geography  by  pointing  out  the  signi- 
ficance of  location  and  relative  distances.  The  land 
of  Palestine  itself  is  a  superb  illustration. 

1  r  (a)  Palestinei 

Do  we  not  see,  as  students  of  geography, 
the  significance  of  its  boundaries  ?  Here  is  a  land, 
bounded  on  the  west  by  the  Great  Sea  and  on  the 
east  by  the  trackless  desert — a  narrow  isthmus  con- 
necting the  two  great  centres  of  ancient  civilization, 
the  valley  of  the  Tigris  and  the  Euphrates,  and  the 
valley  of  the  Nile.  Nature  destined  it  to  be  the 
great  highway  over  which  nations  must  pass  for 
commerce  and  conquest.  As  we  study  the  location 
of  the  homes  of  the  Hebrews,  high  up  among  the 
hills,  we  can  foresee  exclusion  for  a  period  with 
opportunities  to   grow  and  develop  apart  from   the 


230       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

great  stream  of  the  world,  while  the  testimony  of 
later  history  is  not  needed  to  make  it  evident  that 
Palestine,  the  key  to  the  East  and  West,  is  destined 
to  be  the  pathway  of  marching  armies,  the  battle- 
field of  mighty  nations,  and  that  its  soil  and  peoples 
will  be  the  object  of  fierce  contention. 

As  we  turn  to  the  land  of  Egypt,   '*  The  Land  of 

the  River, ' '  we  find  that  on  both  the  east  and  west 

it  is  bounded  by  the  barren  desert,  which 

(b)  Egypt,  "^  . 

effectually  guarded  it  from  all  danger  of 
attack  from  these  quarters.  Thus  its  location  at 
once  explains  how  it  was  possible  for  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Nile,  without  interruption  or  attack,  to  build 
up  that  civilization  which  survived  through  the  ages. 
A  study  of  its  location  also  discloses  the  Achilles' 
Heel  of  Egypt,  the  narrow  isthmus  connecting 
Africa  with  Asia,  through  which  came  its  later  con- 
querors and  those  Semitic  invaders  who  mingled 
their  blood  and  civilization  with  that  of  the  resident 
peoples,  making  the  population  and  life  of  the  Nile 
Valley  a  strange  composite. 

Again,    as    we    study    the    territory    of   Assyria, 
located  as  it  was  on  the  edge  of  the  broad  valley  of 

the  Tigris  and  Euphrates,  bounded  on  the 
c     ssyria.     ^^^^  |^^  ^-^^  mountains  which  gradually  lead 

up  to  Central  Asia,  in  antiquity  the  teeming  centre 
of  human  population,  we  can  see  in  imagination, 
streaming  down  from  those  heights,  the  fierce  in- 
vaders, eager  to  seize  the  attractive  Land  of  the 
Plain.  We  can  see  the  Assyrians  taking  up  the 
sword  to  protect  themselves,  perforce  becoming  a 
warlike  people.     Having  acquired  the  art  of  war  and 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       231 

tasted  the  fruits  of  victory,  it  was  but  natural  that 
they  should  set  out  upon  that  career  of  conquest 
which  made  them  masters  of  Southwestern  Asia  and 
a  portion  of  Africa. 

Even  more  interesting  than  descriptive  geography 
is    that  great  field  which  we  designate  as    Physical 
Geography.      It  possesses   a    peculiar  fas- 
cination for  all,  because  it  brings  us  into   2.  Physical 

Geography. 

vital    touch    with    Nature    herself,    because 

each    land    possesses    a    marked    individuality,    and 

because  from  these  physical  characteristics  came  the 

influences  which  moulded  the  life  of  peoples  who  lived 

among  its  mountains  and  valleys.     To-day,  as  never 

before,  we  recognise  that  the  physical  contour  of  the 

earth  is  the  potter's  wheel  with  which  the  Infinite 

Potter   shapes   the   different  members   of  His  great 

creation.         Consequently    we     study    the     physical 

geography   of   Palestine    not   merely   with 

.r-  11  ■     '       A       n        ^^^  Palestine. 

scientihc  mterest,  but  because  it  is  the  first 
chapter  in  God's  revelation.      Although  so  old,  it  is 
a  chapter  which  we  may  easily  read  to-day,  because 
it   is    written    on    the   rocks    and  the  hills    and   the 
valleys  of  Palestine.      At  first  that  land  seems  but  a 
confused    series    of  valleys   and    hills    and   elevated 
plateaus,   but  a  closer  study  reveals  an  order,   and 
soon  six  distinct  divisions  or  zones  are  dis-   its  six 
tinguished.       When     we    understand     the  ^0°-^' 
bounds  and  characteristics  of  each  of  these,  our  in- 
timate and  intelligent  acquaintance  with  Palestine  is 
established.      The  first  zone    includes   the  (^-^  ^^^^^ 
so-called  coast  plains,    along  the  Eastern   zone. 
Mediterranean.      Beginning  on  the  north,  there  is  a 


232       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

plain  only  five  to  ten  miles  in  width,  shut  in  by  moun- 
tains which  rise  abruptly  on  the  east,  a  fertile  terri- 
tory, but  too  small  to  support  more  than  a  limited 
population.  This  narrow  strip  of  land,  opening  to 
the  sea,  both  inviting  and  compelling  inhabitants  to 
go  forth  and  find  their  food  and  their  fortunes  on  the 
sea,  was  the  cradle  of  those  ancient  mariners,  the 
Phoenicians.  Further  south,  the  plain  of  Acre 
broadens  until  it  ends  abruptly  at  the  base  of  Mt. 
Carmel,  and  on  the  east  merges  into  the  plain  of 
Esdraelon,  which  itself  constitutes  one  of  the  zones 
of  Palestine.  Around  the  northwestern  base  of  Mt. 
Carmel  runs  a  very  narrow  strip  of  land,  connecting 
the  coast  plains  on  the  north  and  south.  To  the 
south  of  the  mountain,  which  is  in  reality  a  bold 
elevated  plateau  crowned  with  fertility,  lies  the  ever- 
widening  plain  of  Sharon,  in  ancient  times  inter- 
spersed with  forest  and  fruitful  fields,  to-day  a  great 
undulatory  flower-bed,  dotted  with  the  black  **  tents 
of  Kedar  "  and  a  few  fellahin  villages.  Below  the 
plain  of  Sharon,  the  headlands  of  Judah  stand  back 
twenty  to  twenty-five  miles  from  the  sea,  leaving  a 
rolling,  healthful,  fruitful  plain,  which  at  an  early 
date  became  the  home  of  the  Philistines.  Like  all 
the  coast  plains,  it  was  exposed  to  attack  from  every 
side.  The  necessity  of  constantly  being  on  the 
defence  developed  a  brave  nation  of  warriors,  who 
dwelt  in  strong  fenced  cities  and  struck  many  a 
deadly  blow  against  the  Hebrews  living  among  the 
eastern  hills. 

The  second  zone  of  Palestine  is  the  district  lying 
between  the  Philistine  plain  and  the  central  uplands, 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       233 

known  as  the  Shephelah  or  foot-hills.      It  is  not  a 
land  of  natural  defences,  but  open  and  roll-   (t)  Second 
ing.       Here    raged,  during    the    barbarous   ^°^^' 
period  of  the  Judges,  the  intermittent  warfare  between 
the  highlanders  and  lowlanders. 

The  third  great  zone  of  Palestine,  which  we  desig- 
nate as  the  central  plateau,  is  separated  into  three 
distinct  divisions,  each  with  characteristics  (c)  Third 
clearly  marked.  The  northern  division  is  ^one. 
Galilee,  which  is  watered  by  the  streams  which  flow 
from  Mt.  Hermon.  It  consists  of  a  series  of  elevated 
plateaus,  with  broad  deep  valleys,  capable  of  sup- 
porting a  vast  population,  and  studded  with  orchards, 
cultivated  fields,  and  thickly  clustered  cities.  Galilee 
gradually  merges  into  the  plain  of  Esdraelon  on  the 
south,  which  in  turn  bounds  Samaria  on  the  north. 
Samaria  with  its  fruitful  valleys,  with  its  rounded 
hills,  some  of  them  rising  to  the  height  of  two 
thousand  feet,  but  covered  to  their  tops  with  trees 
and  fields  and  provided  with  copious  springs,  is  a  fair 
land,  but  open  to  the  outside  world,  whether  friendly 
or  hostile.  The  influence  of  their  physical  environ- 
ment upon  the  character  and  history  of  the  Israelites 
is  clearly  marked.  They  were  a  pleasure-loving 
people,  eager  for  alliances  with  their  powerful  neigh- 
bours, open  to  foreign  influences,  and  naturally  the 
first  to  receive  the  blows  of  Assyria,  and  the  first  to 
fall  before  them.  They  presented  a  marked  contrast 
to  the  peoples  who  inhabited  the  hills  to  the  south. 
As  we  pass  below  Bethel,  the  landscape  becomes 
more  grim,  the  valleys  more  narrow,  the  hills  more 
rocky,  and  we  realize  that  we  are  in  the  land  of  Judea, 


234       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

the  land  of  the  shepherd  rather  than  the  paradise  of 
the  agriculturist ;  Judea,  which  borders  on  the  desert, 
where  life  is  a  desperate  struggle;  Judea,  which  pro- 
duced such  intense,  courageous  men  as  Isaiah  and 
the  prophet  Amos.  Naturally  the  southerners  were 
slowest  to  adopt  the  agricultural  civilization  of 
Canaan,  while  they  retained  more  of  the  life  of  the 
desert  and  clung  more  tenaciously  to  the  principles 
of  independence  and  the  pure  faith  in  Jehovah. 
Secluded  and  protected  by  their  natural  defences  of 
headland,  sea,  and  desert,  they  fell  last  into  the 
hands  of  foreign  conquerors  and  so  survived  nearly 
a  century  and  a  half  after  their  northern  kinsmen  had 
ceased  to  constitute  a  nation. 

Going  still  further  eastward,  we  come  to  the  next 
great  zone  of  Palestine.  In  striking  contrast  to  the 
(d)  Pourth  three  divisions  which  we  have  already  con- 
zone,  sidered  is  that  great  chasm  in  the  earth's 
surface  which  we  know  as  the  Valley  of  the  Jordan, 
along  which  the  river  Avhich  gives  it  its  name  flows 
towards  the  earth's  centre,  plunging  down  over 
twelve  hundred  feet  below  the  level  of  the  ocean, 
until  it  reaches  the  sea  of  death.  No  region  in 
the  ancient  world  possesses  greater  scientific  and 
dramatic  interest  than  this  fourth  zone  of  Palestine. 
Its  chief  historic  significance  lies  in  the  fact  that  in 
early  times  its  depths  effectually  separated  the 
Hebrews  of  the  east  and  west,  making  it  necessary 
for  them  each  to  develop  their  civilization  independ- 
ently; while  in  later  generations  it  protected  the 
Jews  from  the  incursions  of  the  hostile  people  of  the 
desert. 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       235 

Climbing  up  the  hills  of  Moab  and  Gilead,  we 
come  to  the  fifth  zone  of  Palestine,  and  are  in  the 
midst  of  rolling,  grass-covered  hills,  pierced  (g)  pj^^j^ 
by  deep  ravines,  through  which  dashing  zone. 
torrents  pour  their  waters  into  the  Jordan.  Here 
the  nomad  from  the  desert  receives  his  first  lessons 
in  agriculture.  Here  the  Hebrews  lingered  for  a 
time,  learning  valuable  lessons  and  gaining  strength 
before  they  streamed  across  the  Jordan  to  possess 
the  land  of  Canaan.  Here  the  half-tribe  of  Manas- 
seh,  and  the  clans  of  Gad  and  Reuben  found  their 
permanent  homes. 

The  sixth  and  last  zone  of  Palestine,  which,  unlike 
the  others,  cuts  across  the  central  plateau  from  east 
to  west,  we  know  as  the  plain  of  Esdraelon.  (f)  q{^^]^ 
It  is  a  rough,  three-cornered  triangle,  with  ^one. 
one  angle  at  the  extreme  northwestern  end  of  Mt. 
Carmcl,  another  deep  down  in  the  hills  of  Samaria, 
and  the  third  running  up  past  Mt.  Tabor  and  Galilee. 
In  appearance  it  is  a  great,  level,  treeless  plain, 
watered  by  the  muddy  Kishon  and  its  confluents. 
Strategically  it  is  the  key  to  Palestine,  for  broad 
valleys  connect  it  in  every  direction  with  the  other 
zones.  Across  it  ran  the  great  highways  of  com- 
merce. It  was  also  most  natural  that  it  should  have 
been  the  great  battle-field  of  Palestine. 

Thus  this  land  of  sacred  associations  no  longer 
appears  to  us  to  be  a  mere  confusion  of  hills  and 
valleys,  but  a  miniature  continent  with  its  distinct 
zones,  each  with  their  marked  peculiarities  and  inde- 
pendent moulding  influences,  each  producing  different 
types  of  men  and  life. 


236        GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

As  we  study  the  rivers  of  Palestine,  we  note  the 
same  suggestive  facts :  no  rivers  inviting  commerce 
Itg  pierce    the    land ;     the    only    stream     (the 

rivers.  Jordan)  which  could  thus  be  utilized  flows 

to  the  Dead  Sea,  whose  barren,  gloomy  shores  are 
rarely  trodden  by  the  foot  of  man.  Thus  the  very 
drainage  system  of  Palestine  determined  the  life  of 
the  Hebrew  people,  shutting  them  in  by  themselves, 
until  the  great  stream  of  the  world's  history  should 
take  them  and  bear  them  out  to  new  experiences 
and  new  life. 

If  we  find  the  physical  contour  of  Palestine  is  sug- 
gestive, equally  so  is  that  of  the  strange  **  Land  of 
the  River, ' '  exempt  from  rain  during  most 
of  the  year,  and  fed  instead  with  moisture 
and  fertility  by  the  waters  which  come  down  from 
Central  Africa.  As  we  study  its  peculiar  contour, 
we  see  again  how  it  was  possible  to  develop  there 
an  early  civilization,  and  how  the  incentives  were  at 
hand  for  men  to  strive  and  toil  for  the  noble  in  art 
and  civilization. 

Even  more  suggestive  is  the  physical  contour  of 
ancient  Babylonia.  Lying  between  the  two  great 
(0)  Baby-  rivers,  it  was  originally  in  part  submerged 
Ionia.  and  seemingly  useless.     The  long  struggle 

required  to  bring  it  into  a  state  of  cultivation  not 
only  gave  to  its  conquerors  a  dwelling-place  almost 
unequalled,  but  also  developed  a  sturdy,  energetic, 
remarkable  race  of  men.  For  building  purposes  they 
found  the  wonderful  brick-making  material,  and  in 
the  beds  of  the  rivers  clay  on  which  they  could  easily 
inscribe  their  thoughts.      From  the  mountains  to  the 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       237 

north  and  east  came  the  invaders,  who  gave  them 
the  incentive  to  build  and  to  use  the  materials  placed 
by  Nature  in  their  hands.  The  western  land, 
opened  for  commerce  and  for  conquest,  invited  them 
ever  to  strive  for  greater  attainments.  Thus  we  see, 
in  God's  great  Providence,  that  the  valley  of  the 
Tigris  and  Euphrates  prepared  the  way  for  the  first 
lessons  in  human  civilization,  which  we  can  trace 
back  to-day,  in  tlie  light  of  modern  excavations,  so 
many  thousand  years. 

If  we  are  awake  to  the  value  of  the  study  of 
physical  contour,  it  is  possible  for  us  with  the  aid 
of  modern  methods  to  fix  its  important  Manufacture 
results  in  the  minds  of  our  pupils,  not  only  J^^^^seof 
by  the  aid  of  bas-relief  maps  (which  have  maps. 
been  suggested),  but  also  by  their  own  efforts  im- 
pelling them  to  make  bas-relief  maps  for  themselves. 
The  process  is  simple:  a  shallow  case,  putty,  per- 
haps coloured  ;  a  bas-relief  map  as  a  guide  to  suggest 
the  general  outlines ;  the  facility  which  comes  from 
trying  and  training;  and  before  long  you  will  find 
your  students  reproducing  in  miniature  the  land  of 
Palestine,  travelling  in  imagination  among  its  hills 
and  valleys,  learning  themselves  the  lessons  which 
that  land  teaches.  Incidentally  you  will  find  that 
some  of  them  will  provide  your  classes  with  bas- 
relief  maps  which  will  be  of  lasting  helpfulness. 

The    Geological    Formations   also   present    many 
suggestive    facts.      A    broad    outlook    will 
help  us  to  grasp  the  details.      Underneath  Geography!* 
Palestine,     extending     from     the     Taurus 
Mountains  in  the  north  to  the  Sinaitic  peninsula  in  the 


238       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

south,  is  found  first  granite ;  then  a  layer  of  Hmestone 
supplemented  in  the  east  by  loose  quartz  and  sand- 
stone, and  by  the  black  volcanic  rock.      It  explains 
at  once  why  we  find  in  the  valleys  of  Palestine  so  few 
inscriptions.      It  makes  the  wonder  all  the  greater 
that  such  a  vast  volume  of  literature  has  been  pre- 
served, representing  the  thought  of  that  early  people. 
We  can  appreciate  the  difficulties  under  which  they 
laboured.      Unlike   the  people  of  the  valley  of  the 
Euphrates,   who  had  easily  moulded  clay  at  hand, 
the  Hebrews  must  cut  their  inscriptions  in  the  soft 
friable  limestone  or  in  the  hard  black  basaltic  rock, 
both  giving  very  unsatisfactory  results.      Thus    we 
can  clearly  understand  why  we  have  so  few  monu- 
mental  remains   from  the   Hebrews,   and  why  they 
learned  the  lesson  of  writing  so  late.      We  can  also 
appreciate  why  they  treasured  with  such  fidelity  in 
their  memory  and  by  the  hands  of  their  scribes  their 
sacred  writings  and  thus  preserved  them  intact  to  the 
present. 

If  the  time  permitted,  we  would  take  up  the  study 
of  the  great  arteries  and  highways  of  Palestine.  Of 
,   „  those  months  which  some  of  us  as  teachers 

4.  Com- 
mercial are  going  to  devote  to  the   historical  study 

eograp  y.  ^^  Bible  lands,  let  us  devote  a  portion  to 
studying  the  highways,  which  represent  the  com- 
merce and  the  conquest  of  ancient  times : — those 
highways  which  ran  along  the  Arabian  Desert,  down 
to  the  land  of  Egypt ;  that  which  ran  from  Damascus 
on  the  north;  that  other  highway  which  ran  from 
the  coast  of  Egypt,  touching  Southern  Palestine ;  and 
then  turn  towards  Southern  Egypt  itself.      We  find 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       239 

the  question  raised,  oftentimes,  "Why  did  Jesus 
leave  Nazareth  among  the  hills,  and  live  at  Caper- 
naum ?  ' '  The  answer  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact, 
that  Capernaum  was  on  the  highway  which  ran 
from  Damascus  down  through  Palestine  to  Egypt. 
He  chose  Capernaum  that  He  might  be  in  the 
centre  of  commercial  life,  that  He  might  be  in  touch 
with  the  great  stream  that  went  through  it.  So 
we  find  the  commercial  geography  of  these  ancient 
lands  throwing  floods  of  light  on  the  thought  of 
national  development  and  the  development  of  litera- 
ture. In  connection  with  the  Missionary  Journeys 
of  St.  Paul,  note  how  he  followed  the  lines  of  the 
world's  commerce.  In  the  map  of  his  journeys, 
you  have  the  map  of  commercial  enterprise  on  the 
Eastern  Mediterranean. 

With  profit  we  might  explore  the  great  field   of 
Racial    Geography.      Propound    to    yourselves    and 
your  students,  "  What  was  the  home  of  the 
Semitic    people.?"      "From    what    centre   ^;f^^'\^ 
did     they    spread  ?  "       "  What    was    the 
course    of  these    migrations  ?  "      "  What   were   the 
dominant  races  ?  "     Trace,  for  example,  the  peoples 
which  finally  settled  in   Palestine.      First  came  the 
Phoenicians,   who  occupied  the  fertile  coast  plains; 
then  their  kinsmen,  the  Canaanites,  who  early  seized 
the  rich  inland  plains.      Following  them,  long  after 
according  to  their  traditions,  came  the  ancestors  of 
the  Hebrews.      Finding  Palestine  already  crowded, 
they  passed  on  to  their  temporary  dwelling-place  on 
the  borders  of  Egypt.      Trace  the  migrations  of  the 
Aramaeans,  as  they  moved  westward  and  southward 


240       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

to  conquer  the  territory  immediately  north  of  Pales- 
tine and  to  build  up  a  powerful  kingdom  with  its 
capital  at  Damascus.  Trace  the  flood  coming  from 
the  north,  which  left  its  deposit  on  the  southern  coast 
plains  in  the  person  of  the  Philistines.  Note  how 
the  horde  of  northern  invaders  was  stayed  at  last  by 
Cyrus  the  Persian.  Note  how  Eastern  civilization 
and  influence  still  moved  victoriously  westward, 
until  in  time  it  was  met  by  the  Greek.  By  Alex- 
ander, the  tide,  which  had  so  long  been  setting 
westward,  was  turned  back,  and  the  Greek  race  and 
civilization  swept  over  Southwestern  Asia,  leaving 
lasting  deposits  in,  and  especially  on  the  outskirts  of, 
Palestine. 

Then    beginning    with     the    earth    itself,    having 

become  acquainted  with   its  physical  contour  and  its 

peoples,   study  the   varied    political   boun- 

6.  Historical  Varies,  the  Historical  Geography  of  Pales- 
Geography  ■  ^ 

tine.      Perhaps  of  all  the  fields  which  we 

have  considered,  none  is  less  supplied  with  useful 
maps  than  the  great  field  of  historical  geography; 
for  each  period  calls  for  a  most  carefully  prepared 
map.  As  we  take  up  the  successive  stages  of 
Hebrew  and  Jewish  history,  it  is  necessary  that  we 
ourselves,  with  our  classes,  develop  the  varied 
changes  in  the  commercial  and  racial  geography, 
noting  also  those  forces  other  than  the  spirit  of  man 
which  moulded  nations  and  determined  their  boun- 
daries. Thus,  when  we  come  to  historical  geogra- 
phy, the  other  departments  of  geography  merge,  and 
we  have  a  united  whole. 

In  the  short  space  which  remains  may  I  present  a 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       241 

few  general  suggestions  ?  Shall  we  endeavour,  in 
the  first  place,  to  make  our  study  compre-  General 
hensive  ?  Comprehensive,  in  that  we  do  stiggestions. 
not  dip  in  here  and  there  at  random,  but  rather  try 
to  take  broad  outlooks.  It  is  much  easier  to  under- 
stand   the    geography    of   Palestine    from 

Make  study 

some  mountam-top,  like  IVit.  Hermon  or  comprehen- 
Mt.  Tabor,  than  it  is  from  deep  down  in  ^^^^* 
the  valleys.  First  study  the  general  outlines,  then 
their  relations  to  each  other,  then  their  significance 
as  a  composite  whole;  and  then,  when  you  have 
fixed  those  in  your  minds  and  in  the  minds  of  your 
students,  you  are  ready  to  study  and  understand  the 
details. 

In  all  our  investigation,  do  we  also  fully  realize 
that  the  object  of  geography  is  not  merely  acquaint- 
ance with  this  or  that  portion  of  the  earth's 

1  11  1     •      •        Study  the 

surface,  but  rather  to  study  the  earth  m  its   earth  in  its 

relation  to  man ;  to  study  descriptive  and  relation  to 

man. 

physical  geography  because  of  the  light 
which  they  throw  upon  man's  development  and 
thought  ?  The  point  of  view  should  be  that  of  man, 
and  all  should  therefore  lead  up  to  man  as  the  goal 
of  the  study.  Historical,  commercial,  and  racial 
geography  are  but  the  records,  written  in  vanishing 
lines  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  of  man's  activity. 

It  may,  in  conclusion,  be  well  to  emphasize  the 
true  relation  of  geography  to  Bible-study.    Qeog^^pty 
It  is  not  an  end  in  itself     We  make  a  mis-   but  a  step 
take  if  we  keep  our  students  always  study-   g°  A  ®' 
ing  geography  merely.      It  is  only  a  means 
to   an    end,   it  is  a  background,  it  is  the  stepping- 


2  42        GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INS'I RUCTION. 

stone  to  the  consideration  of  the  life  of  a  people ;  and 
the  knowledge  of  the  life  of  a  people  who  inhabit  a 
land  is  the  introduction  to  the  study  of  their  thought 
and  their  faith;  and  the  life  and  faith  and  thought 
of  the  Hebrew  race  present  to  us  the  message  of 
the  Eternal.  Therefore  the  geography  of  the  lands 
which  moulded  the  people  of  the  Bible,  which  deter- 
mined to  a  great  extent  their  character,  which  reveal 
many  of  the  motives  and  forces  which,  in  the  hands 
of  the  Creator,  moulded  their  life,  their  history,  their 
thought,  and  their  faith,  is  the  most  illuminating  and 
fascinating  commentary  upon  His  Word  which  God 
has  placed  in  our  hands.  May  He  grant  that  we 
may  use  it  faithfully,  intelligently,  and  successfully! 

**  I    would    like    to    ask    about    the    results    that 

this  system  is  going  to  produce,  with  reference  to 

the  length  of  time  required  for  instruction. 
Question.  ^      ,  .  ...  .     .      .  i      •    .       .  i 

"  Does  Scien-  J-t  IS  very  important  to  get  truth  mto  the 
tific  Study      minds    of   students,    but  Herbert   Spencer 

produce  Per-  i      •         -i       i  •    r 

sonalReli-  has  admitted  that  information  does  not 
S^°^^J^*®^"  produce  action.  I  understand  that  this 
scientific  method  does  give  a  good  deal 
of  interest  to  the  constructive  imagination,  but 
how  much  life  it  also  gives  I  am  not  quite  sure. 
Some  sceptical,  inquiring  minds  do  not  get  much 
impression  of  scientific  truth,  unless  they  get  it  from 
the  teacher.  I  should  like  to  illustrate  by  a  few  of 
the  sceptical,  inquiring  minds:  there  are  many 
students  in  our  colleges  who  are  of  that  class. 
Now,  from  Professor  Kent's  observation,  I  should 
like  to  know  if  studying  about  the  Bible  has  given 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       243 

these  minds  a  personal  impression  of  the  power  of 
the  vital  truth  of  the  supernatural  life  in  Christ. 
What  interest  comes  into  the  student's  life  from  this 
study  ?  ' ' 

This  question  is  an  exceedingly  important  one. 
I  wish  we  had  the  students  here  to  answer  the  ques- 
tion, because  they  would  answer  best.  I 
can  tell  you  of  the  character  of  the  students  ^^^^^' 
themselves,  which  is  suggestive.  We  have  in  the 
first  place  many  men  who  were  trained  in  their 
homes  to  study  the  Bible.  They  have  also  received 
in  the  Sunday-schools,  of  course,  a  certain  prepara- 
tion which  they  find  useful  in  their  study.  In  an 
experience  with  hundreds  of  students,  I  do  not  recall 
a  single  instance  of  a  case  that  has  come  to  my 
attention    of  a  man  whose  faith  has  been   ^ 

rersonal 

unsettled.  The  only  approximation  to  that  faith  not 
has  been  in  the  case  of  a  man,  weak  in  the  ^^^^*^^^*^' 
faith,  who  said,  "It  is  going  to  shake  so  many  of 
my  conclusions,  that  I  will  not  go  on."  I  am  not 
sure  but  that  * '  the  latter  end  of  that  man  was  worse 
than  the  first."  But  men  who  have  gone  on,  men 
who  have  passed  through  the  so-called  destructive 
period,  and  have  seen  the  great  constructive  trend 
of  modern  Biblical  study, — these  men  come  to  me 
and  say:    "  I  don't  believe  this  and  that  as  ,t     •  x 

-^  IJew  interest 

I  did  before,  but  I  do  find  I  have  a  new  in  Bible 
desire  to  enter  into  Sunday-school  work. 
I  feel  that  I  have  a  mission  to  perform.      I  find  new 
interest  in  teaching.      I    find  that    there    is  a    new 
interest  on  the  part  of  the  pupils       I  find  that  where 
hitherto  I    had  no  success  as  a  teacher,  I  now  have 


2  44       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

success. ' '      So  much  for  the  men  that  perhaps  need 
it  the  least. 

I  am   surprised  and  gratified  to  find  that  in  our 
colleges  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  men  who  are 
taking  the  general  courses  in  Biblical  literature  are 
not  those  who  are  going  on  to  enter  the  ministry, 
or  who  are  necessarily  known  as  religious ;  but  they 
are  thoughtful  men,  who  want  to  know  the  truth, 
men  who  have  rebelled  perhaps  against  the  way  in 
which  Bible  truth  has  been  presented  to  them ;  men 
who,   if  you   ask    them  at    the   beginning    of  their 
Biblical  study,  will  say  they  have  no  religion  at  all, 
but  men  who,  unconsciously  perhaps  to  themselves, 
are  being  brought  into  touch  with  the  truth, 
The  majority,  and  find  themselves  on  the  side  of  truth, 
legesmicai  ^^^  thus  are  drawn  into   the   vital,   living 
Courses,  do     work.      I  recall  the  words  of  cheer  and  en- 
the  Ministry,   couragement  of  a  recent  President  of  Brown 
University.       Since    this    was     a    personal 
statement,  I  feel  a  great  deal  of  hesitation  in  men- 
tioning it,  but  I  think  it  partly  answers  the  question. 
He  said  that  the   Biblical  work  (including  the  work 
of  the  BibHcal  Research  Club,  which  brings  to  the 
students  a  large  number  of  very  helpful  lectures  each 
year)  was  in  his  opinion  as  powerful  a  religious  factor 
in  the  life  of  Brown  University  as  a  certain  other 
prominent  institution  which  would  naturally  be  men- 
tioned, in  that  connection.      That  is  the  testimony,  > 
it  seems  to  me,  which  comes  from  all  the  presidents 
and  professors  and  students  of  our  universities,  where 
regular  Biblical  departments   are  established.      And 
what  is  the  reason  ?     It  is  not  because  the  Biblical 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       245 

professors  are  preachers.  It  is  not  because  ordinarily 
we  try  to  impress  a  moral  upon  our  students.  It  is 
because  by  the  use  of  modern  methods,  in  all 
earnestness  and  fidelity,  we  endeavour  to  lead  them 
to  the  truth,  and  believe  that  when  one  has  once 
found  the  truth,  imperfect  though  that  finding  must 
always  be,  the  truth  itself  will  speak,  will  draw,  will 
influence,  will  inspire,  far  more  than  any  additional 
words  of  the  teacher. 

Especially  to  educated  university  men,  Bible- 
study  is  genuinely  interesting.  The  students  tell 
their  own  story,  it  seems  to  me.  Students  do  not 
elect  courses  unless  they  consider  them  of  practical 
value.  Fortunately,  in  most  of  our  colleges  and 
universities,  the  Biblical  work  is  entirely  elective, 
and  usually  confined  to  the  junior  and  senior  years. 
In  many  of  our  modern  universities,  while  some  of 
the   other   courses  have  fallen  off  in    numbers,   the 

classes  in  Biblical  study  have  doubled  each 

ATT  111  1        ^^^^®  s*^' 

year.      At    Harvard,    the    classes    number  dents  in 

between  one  hundred  and  a  hundred  and  ^iii^ersities. 
fifty.  At  Yale,  they  number  between  a  hundred  and 
a  hundred  and  seventy-five.  At  Brown,  we  have 
over  one  hundred  taking  Biblical  courses  this  term, 
of  whom  fully  eighty-five  are  not  contemplating 
entering  the  Ministry;  which  fact  seems  to  me  sug- 
gestive. They  do  not  elect  them  because  they  are 
easy  courses,  for  one  of  the  greatest  obstacles  which 
we  have  to  deal  with  in  our  Bible-study,  which  is 
not  confined  to  the  university  or  the  Bible-class,  is 
the  idea  that  the  Bible  can  be  studied  somehow  with- 
out any  effort,  without  any  time,  without  any  know- 


246       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

ledge.  To  dispel  that  illusion,  we  are  obliged  to 
make  those  courses  among  the  most  difficult  in  the 
college  curriculum.  Yet  the  men  continue  to  elect 
them.  And  why  ?  We  believe,  because  they  help 
them.  It  seems  to  me  that  such  courses  alone  will 
save  our  thoughtful,  educated  young  men  of  to-day 
from  the  threshold  of  scepticism.  In  the  study  of 
history,  we  are  accustomed  to  apply  certain  methods. 
They  are  the  only  methods  that  we  ourselves 
would  trust,  to  get  at  the  facts.  In  literature, 
they  are  obliged  to  study  the  question  of  intrinsic 
value.  They  appreciate  the  necessity  of  studying 
questions  of  detail,  which,  though  not  the  most  im- 
portant, throw  light  upon  questions  which  are  im- 
portant. They  acquire  scientific  habits  of  study. 
Is  it  in  keeping  with  human  nature  and  the 
tific  Methods  ii^ii^d  of  to-day  to  confine  those  methods 

the  only  ones  entirely   to    so-called    secular   history  and 
to  apply.  , 

literature,  and  say,  when  it  comes  to 
Biblical  teaching,  ' '  We  will  not  apply  those 
methods ;  we  will  trust  them  in  this,  but  we  will  not 
trust  them  in  that  field  "  ?  All  the  truth  has  not 
yet  been  found,  nor  is  it  all  encased  in  creeds  and 
dogmatic  theologies.  We  cannot,  and  would  not  if 
we  could,  exclude  scientific  methods  from  the  Biblical 
field.  We  need  in  all  our  Sunday-school  classes 
to-day  teachers  to  take  the  young  man  by  the  hand 
and  say,  * '  We  will  apply  those  methods  with  the 
same  earnestness,  zeal,  and  consecration  to  the 
study  of  that  ancient  life  and  literature,"  instead  of 
saying,  '*  We  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  them." 
The  latter  mistake  has  been  made  for  the  last  gen- 


GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION.       247 

eration  or  two,  but  it  is  being  corrected  to-day  by 
earnest  scholars  and  teachers,  in  the  spirit  of  hu- 
mility, in  the  spirit  of  carefulness,  of  self-sacrificing 
effort,  and  always  with  enthusiasm.  We  believe  in 
truth,  we  believe  in  the  Bible  because  it  is  God's 
Word,  we  believe  in  a  God  back  of  the  Bible,  and 
therefore  we  are  not  afraid  of  the  application  of  true 
methods  which  we  trust  in  other  lines  of  investiga- 
tion. We  are  going  forward  shoulder  to  shoulder, 
trying  to  find  the  truth,  assured  that  not  one  particle 
of  truth  will  be  lost,  that  the  old  truth  will  only 
reappear  in  different  clothing,  adapted  to  the  life  of 
to-day ;  that  all  the  change  will  only  result  in  adapt- 
ing it  to  the  new  methods  of  thought  and  ideas. 
Fifteen  or  twenty  years  hence,  perhaps  sooner,  we 
are  all  going  to  say,  ' '  That  is  just  what  I  always 
believed.  It  is  only  expressed  in  a  different  form." 
Then  we  shall  all  realize  that  faithful  men,  whose 
opportunities  have  enabled  them  to  be  leaders  in 
this  movement  for  truth,  have  been  doing,  some- 
times amidst  opposition,  an  important  work;  and  we 
shall  see  that,  after  all,  this  present  din  and  smoke 
and  dust  conceals  no  deadlier  foe  than  the  opponent 
of  progress ;  that  all  we  are  trying  to  do  is  to  build 
a  new  and  larger  house  for  truth.  The  question  is 
very  suggestive.  Are  there  other  questions  .''  I  do 
feel  most  strongly  the  vastness  of  the  subject.  We 
have  only  dipped  into  it  here  and  there.  I  was  not 
sure,  at  each  step,  that  I  was  meeting  the  needs  of 
this  audience ;  but  when  you  ask  questions,  I  feel 
that  we  are  getting  at  the  heart  of  the  matter. 


248       GEOGRAPHY  IN  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

*  *  Is  there  a  natural  boundary  between 

Samaria  and  Judea  ?  ' ' 

No,   it  is  a  case   of  merging.       Samaria    merges 

into  Judea.      As  you  go  southward,   you  gradually 

miss  the  springs  and  the  verdure-covered 
Answeri 

hills.     The  valleys  become  narrower.     The 

real  boundary  is  the  valley  of  Michmash,  which  runs 
up  from  the  Jordan.  When  you  pass  that  deep 
canon,  you  come  to  Judea  proper.  The  fact  that 
there  was  no  natural  boundary  explains  how  con- 
stant was  the  warfare  between  the  North  and  the 
South  during  much  of  their  history.  There  was  no 
such  natural  division  between  Samaria  and  Judea 
as  there  was,  for  example,  between  Galilee  and 
Samaria. 


X. 

THE  STUDY  OF  THE   BIBLE  AS 
LITERATURE. 

By  Professor  Richard  G.  Moulton,  M.A.,  of  Chicago  Uni- 
versity. 


SYNOPSIS   OF    LECTURE  X. 

The  Literary  Study  of  the  Bible,  What  is  it  ? 

The  Fundamental  Principle  that  there  is  intimate  Connection 

between  Matter  and  Form  in  Literature. 
Principle  illustrated  by  Solomon's  Song. 
Two  Views  of  its  Interpretation. 
Illustrated  by  application  made  of  Bible  Verses. 
Also  by  what  is  the  True  Literary  Form  of  Psalm  VIII. 
Three  Main  Forms  of  Bible-study,   Devotional,    Higher  Criticism, 
and  Literary. 
Differentiation  of  each  form. 
The  three  forms  illustrated. 

Devotional.     Possible  errors  shown  by  study  of  Book  of  Job. 
Also  by  error  in  Quotation  from  Shakespeare. 
Critical.     Illustrated  by  Book  of  Micah. 
Literary.      Shown  in  the  same  Book. 
Our  Right  to  the  Literary  Study  of  the  Bible. 

In  the  "Age  of  Commentary  "  the  proper  Form  became  ob- 
scured. 
The  Three  Steps  towards  Recovery  of  Form. 
How  to  engage  in  Study  of  the  Bible  as  Literature. 
Suitable  Printing  required. 

Illustration  of  present  imperfect  Printing. 
Study  of  Bible  by  Books,  rather  than  by  Verses. 
Illustration  from  Deuteronomy. 
The  Oratory  of  Deuteronomy. 
Analysis  of  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy. 
Principle  enunciated. 
Use  of  Bible  as  a  Library. 

Contents  of  the  Bible  Library. 
Literary  Study  of  the  Bible.     The  Three  Stages. 
Stage  of  Stories. 

Illustrated  by  Genesis. 
Stage  of  Masterpieces. 

Illustrated  by  Deborah's  Song. 
Stage  of  Complete  Literary  Groups. 

Illustrated  by  Bible  History  in  the  Old  Testament. 
Analysis  of  the  Pentateuch. 
Illustrated  by  Bible  Philosophy. 
Analysis  of  the  Books  of  Wisdom. 
Conclusion. 


THE    LITERARY    STUDY    OF    THE    BH^LE. 

I  DEEPLY  appreciate  the  opportunity  of  speaking 
to  those  who  are  gathered  in  connection  with  these 
lectures ;  the  more  so,  because  I  am  aware  that  the 
studies  I  am  here  to  represent  have  only  an  indirect 
connection  with  that  which  is  the  immediate  subject 
of  these  lectures.  I  am  to  speak  of  the  Bible  as 
Literature.  Now  it  is  true  that  Sunday-schools  do 
not  expect  to  teach  the  Bible  as  literature.  All  I 
claim  is  that  the  literary  study  of  the  Bible  has  a 
collateral  interest  for  those  who  are  concerned  with 
Sunday-school  training ;  that  it  is  a  subject  which 
they  cannot  afford  to  neglect. 

To  reach  the  connection  between  the  study  I  am 
representing  and  the  immediate  purpose  of  these 
lectures,  we  have  not  far  to  seek.  There  is  the 
great  fact  that  the  Christian  revelation  has  been 
conveyed  in  the  form  of  literature.  That  being  so, 
who  can  deny  that  literary  study  is  an  adjunct  of 
Christian  education — of  the  education  that  is  dis- 
tinctively Christian  ?  But  then  there  is  a  great  area 
of  education — of  education  that  we  want — which 
cannot  be  called  distinctively  Christian.  Here  a 
second    consideration    arises:     the    general     literary 

251 


252  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

culture  of  this  time  suffers  far  more  by  the  neglect 
of  the  literary  study  of  the  Bible  than  does  even  the 
education  that  is  distinctively  Christian.  Those  two 
links  are  sufficient  to  connect  the  studies  that  I  am 
discussing  with  the  main  purpose  of  these  lectures. 

The  first  thing  I  want  to  make  clear  is  this :  that 

we    understand    the    term    * '  literary    study    of    the 

Bible  "  in  a  clear  and  definite  sense.      The 

What  is  the  .  . . 

"Literary      phrase  IS  used  m  many  dinerent  meanmgs, 

!j.^^y  °J*^®  and  no  one  can  find  any  fault  with  that. 
Bible"?  .  -^ 

For  if  the  Bible  be  literature,  then  in  a 
certain  sense  every  kind  of  Biblical  study  may  be 
called  literary  study.  But  I  say  that  I  want  to 
advocate  a  distinct  and  specific  literary  study  of  the 
Bible,  and  it  is  the  study  of  its  litej^ary  form. 
Literary  form  is  the  essence  of  the  study  to  which  I 
am  inviting  you  this  afternoon. 

When  we  talk  of  other  literatures,  what  do  we 
understand  }  We  know  that  Greek  literature  is 
made  up  of  the  tragedies  of  ^schylus,  the  dramas  of 
Euripides,  the  epic  poems  of  Homer,  the  history  of 
Herodotus,  the  philosophic  dialogues  of  Plato,  and 
a  great  many  other  literary  types.  When  we  talk 
of  German  literature,  we  understand,  again,  dramas 
and  epics  and  essays  and  philosophical  treatises,  and 
many  other  literary  types.  If  we  talk  of  French 
literature,  we  mean  all  these  varieties  of  literary 
form.  If,  then,  the  Bible  is  justly  called  literature, 
we  ought  to  be  prepared  to  find  that  the  Bible  is 
made  up  of  epics,  and  lyrics,  and  dramas,  and  essays, 
and  philosophic  treatises,  and  epistles,  and  a  great 
many  other  of  these  literary  forms.     Now  the  specific 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE  BIBLE.  253 

literary  study  of  the  Bible,  to  which  I  direct  your 
attention  to-day,  is  the  study  of  these  great  literary 
forms  in  connection  with  Scripture, — epic,  lyric, 
dramatic,  philosophic,  and  the  like: — the  study  of 
these  forms  and  of  their  numerous  subdivisions,  and 
of  the  literary  mechanism  by  which  these  literary 
forms  realize  themselves.  And  the  foundation  prin- 
ciple of  this  particular  literary  study  of  the  Bible  is 
this:  that  a  clear  grasp  of  the  outward  literary  form 
is  essential  to  the  understanding  of  the  matter  and 
the  spirit. 

May  I  assume  that  fundamental  principle  }  I  fear 
not.  My  experience  is  that  very  few  people  have 
recognised  this  intimate  connection  in  ^^  ^^  , 
literature  between  matter  and  form.  They  mental  prin- 
know  perfectly  well — for  I  am  speaking  of  "^  ^' 
educated  people — that  a  man  cannot  be  sure  that  he 
understands  an  English  sentence  unless  he  is  able  to 
parse  it :  but  it  does  not  occur  to  them  to  go  on  from 
grammar  to  more  purely  literary  form,  and  say, 
' '  You  cannot  be  sure  that  you  have  grasped  litera- 
ture unless  you  have  clearly  understood  the  outward 
literary  technical  form."  And  therefore  I  should 
like  to  dwell  upon  this  foundation  principle  for  a 
short  time :  that,  whether  you  are  taking  broad  views 
of  whole  pieces  of  literature,  or  whether  you  are 
studying  minute  sections,  little  texts  or  verses,  in 
both  cases  alike,  the  clear  grasp  of  the  outward  tech- 
nical form  is  essential  to  the  matter  and  the  spirit. 

I  will  illustrate.  In  the  first  place,  I  will  suppose 
that  you  are  taking  broad  views  of  whole  books  of 
literature  at  once.      Now  there  is  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 


254  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

tures  a  certain  book  called  ''Solomon's  Song," 
Principle  or  "The  Song  of  Songs," — a  book  very 
by^^'^Solo-  rnysterious  to  the  ordinary  reader.  It 
mon'sSong."  so  happens  that  literary  experts  are  di- 
vided into  two  opposite  schools  with  regard  to  the 
exact  literary  form  of  that  book.  One  school  says 
that  Solomon's  Song  is  a  drama.  The  other  school 
says  Solomon's  Song  is  not  a  drama,  but  is  a  series 
of  lyric  idylls.  Now,  mark,  that  is  only  a  distinction 
of  literary  technique — between  drama  and  lyric  idylls. 
I  am  not  going  to  discuss  which  of  these  views  is 
correct.  My  point  is,  what  a  difference  it  makes  to 
the  book  which  of  these  two  views  you  accept. 
Those  who  think  that  Solomon's  Song  is  a 
drama  are  practically  agreed  as  to  the  plot 
of  that  drama.  They  say  it  is  this :  that  Solomon  and 
a  certain  humble  shepherd  lover  are  contending  for 
the  love  of  the  fair  Shulamite,  the  heroine  of  this 
poem.  Solomon  and  the  humble  shepherd  lover 
contend  for  her  love,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
poem — in  what  our  modern  phrase  would  call  the 
Fifth  Act — Solomon  gives  way,  and  the  humble 
shepherd  and  the  Shulamite  are  united  in  wedlock. 

Now,  let  us  look  at  the  other  side.      Those  who 
say  that  the  work   is   a   series  of  lyric    idylls  have 

clearly  a  very  different  instrument  of  inter- 
Second  view.  .  -    .  .  T 

pretation  to  brmg  to  bear  upon  it.      In  a 

drama  you  understand  that  the  incidents  must  appear 

in  their  proper  order,    in  the  order    of  time.      We 

would  distinguish  a  drama,  for  example,  from  a  novel. 

If  you  were  reading  a  novel  you   might,  in   Chapter 

XX,  find  some  great  crisis,  and  the  heroine  is  deliv- 


THE   LITERARY   STUDY    OF    THE   BIBLE.  255 

ered  by  the  hero,  supposed  at  the  moment  to  be  on 
the  other  side  of  the  world.  That  is  Chapter  XX. 
Now  in  Chapter  XXI  the  story  goes  back  in  time,  to 
explain  how  this  hero,  supposed  to  be  in  Australia, 
came  in  reality  to  be  in  New  York.  It  is  quite  pos- 
sible for  a  novel  to  go  back,  but  you  can  see  that  it 
is  impossible  for  a  drama,  which  presents  scenes,  to 
go  back  in  time.  It  appears  then  that  the  incidents 
in  a  drama  must  appear  in  the  order  of  time,  but  in 
a  series  of  lyric  idylls  the  story  may  refer  to  events 
apart  from  the  order  of  time.  Thus  I  am  saying 
that  those  who  take  the  view  that  Solomon's  Song 
is  a  series  of  lyric  idylls  have  a  very  different  instru- 
ment of  interpretation  to  bring  to  bear  upon  that 
poem,  with  this  result:  that,  according  to  this  view 
of  the  book,  Solomon  is  himself  the  humble  shepherd 
lover.  The  story  now  becomes  this:  that  King 
Solomon,  visiting  his  vineyards  upon  Mount  Lebanon, 
came  by  surprise  upon  the  fair  Shulamite,  who  fled 
from  him.  Then  he  wooed  her  in  the  disguise  of  a 
humble  Shepherd,  and  won  her  love.  Then  he 
came  ia  all  his  state,  to  claim  her  as  his  queen,  and 
they  are  actually  being  united  in  the  royal  palace 
when  the  poem  opens. 

Now,  remember,  I  am  not  discussing  which  of  the 
two  views  is  correct:  but  I  have  brought  out,  have 
I  not }  what  an  enormous  difference  it  makes  to  the 
poem  which  of  those  technical  views  you  take  up. 
The  whole  story — not  some  trifling  matter  of  inter- 
pretation, but  the  whole  story — comes  out  quite 
differently,  according  as  you  assume  that  the  poem 
is  a  drama  or  assume  that  it  is  a  series  of  lyric  idylls. 


256  THE   LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE  BIBLE. 

This  is  our  principle :  a  clear  grasp  of  the  outward 
technical  form  is  essential  to  the  matter  and  the 
spirit  of  the  whole  poem. 

I  will  next  suppose  it  is  a  question  of  what  we  call 
a  verse,  in  the   Bible.      You  have  selected  a  verse 
for  your  meditation.      I  will  suppose  that  the  verse 
is  this:    "Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and 
Illustrated      sucklings    hast    Thou    ordained    strength, 
ti'on  of  verses,  because  of'Tliine  adversaries."      You  want 
to    interpret    that   verse.        Turn    to    your 
commentators.      Every  commentator  has  a  different 
interpretation.      One    tells   you    that   it   refers    to    a 
historic   incident:   but  those  who  take  that  view  do 
not  seem   to    agree  what    the    historic    incident    is. 
Another    commentator   will   tell    you    that    it    is    a 
metaphor.      Another  will  say  it  is   a  prophecy:   we 
know  it  is  used  as  prophecy,  but  he  thinks  prophecy 
is  the  original  meaning.      Now  my  point  is  that  all 
these  commentators  are  neglecting  our  fundamental 
principle  of  looking  to  the  exact  technical  literary 
form.       The    Eighth    Psalm,    in    which    that    verse 
occurs,  is,  I  would  suggest,   erroneously  printed  in 
our  ordinary  Bibles.      Observe,  I  am  not  discussing 
any  difference  of  translation:    take  any  translation 
you  please.      But  I  say  the  passage  is  presented  in 
wrong   literary   form.      In   most  Bibles   the  Eighth 
Psalm  appears  as  a  series  of  equal  paragraphs,  laid 
out  in  parallel  lines  from  beginning  to  end.      Now 
the   true   literary  form   of  the  Eighth   Psalm  is  un- 
doubtedly what  we  call  an  ' '  envelope  figure. ' '     The 
meaning    of    the    very    technical     term    '  *  envelope 
figure  "  is,  a  little  poem  in  which  the  first  line  and 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE.  257 

the  last  line  are  identical,  and  all  that  comes  be- 
tween is,  as  it  were,  "  enveloped  "  between  ,^^^  nterarv 
that  common  opening  and  close :  that  is,  form  of 
all  that  comes  between  is  to  be  read  in  the 
light  of  the  common  opening  and  close.  As  the 
psalm  is  printed  in  the  ordinary  Bibles,  a  series  of 
equal  parallels,  the  opening  apostrophe  is  made  to 
read  thus: 

"  O  Lord,  our  Lord,  how  excellent  is  Thy  name  in  all  the 
earth  !  who  hast  set  Thy  glory  above  the  heavens." 

Accordingly  the  second  verse,  which  presumably 
opens  the  general  thought  of  the  psalm,  becomes 
what  I  have  quoted :  ' '  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes 
and  sucklings  hast  Thou  ordained  strength,  because 
of  Thine  adversaries. ' '  But  now  if  you  present  that 
poem  in  its  true  literary  form,  as  an  envelope,  then 
the  opening  apostrophe  becomes  no  more  than  this : 
"  O  Lord,  our  Lord,  how  excellent  is  Thy  name  in 
all  the  earth !  ' '  We  know  that  no  more  than  this 
is  the  opening  apostrophe,  because  these  words 
recur  at  the  close,  and  the  meaning  of  an  envelope 
figure  is  that  the  opening  and  the  close  are  identical. 
If  then  the  opening  be,  as  I  say,  ''O  Lord,  our 
Lord,  how  excellent  is  Thy  name  in  all  the  earth!  " 
then  what  follows,  what  presumably  opens  the 
thought  of  the  psalm,  is  this:  "Who  hast  set  Thy 
glory  above  the  heavens,  out  of  the  mouth  of  babes 
and  sucklings  hast  Thou  ordained  strength  !  ' '  That 
the  Architect  of  the  mighty  heavens  should  have 
selected  man,  a  mere  babe  and  suckling  in  compari- 
son, to  be  His  representative, — that  is  the  thought 


258  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF  THE  BIBLE, 

of  the  psalm.  And  now  the  whole  poem  flashes  into 
organic  unity.  '*  When  I  consider  the  heavens,  the 
work  of  Thy  hands,  the  moon  and  the  stars,  which 
Thou  hast  ordained,  what  is  man,  that  Thou  art 
mindful  of  him,  and  the  son  of  man,  that  Thou 
visitest  him  ?  Thou  hast  made  him  but  little  lower 
than  the  angels,"  and  so  on.  The  whole  psalm 
becomes  a  clear  unit  when  once  you  have  repre- 
sented it  in  its  true  literary  form.  You  have  no 
need  to  seek  for  historical  references,  you  have  no 
need  to  seek  for  deep  metaphors.  The  meaning  of 
the  whole  is  as  clear  as  can  be,  if  only  you  read  it 
in  the  true  technical  form  of  an  envelope  figure. 

This  is  an  illustration  of  what  I  am  calling  the 
fundamental  principle  of  that  literary  study  of  the 
Bible  to  which  I  am  inviting  you:  that  the  clear 
grasp  of  the  technical  literary  form  is  essential  to 
grasping  the  matter  and  the  spirit.  Whether  you 
are  dealing  with  great  books  of  literature,  or  whether 
you  are  dealing  with  little  verses,  a  knowledge  of  the 
literary  form  is  essential  to  a  grasp  of  the  matter  and 
the  spirit. 

Now  in  this  specific  sense  the  literary  study  of  the 
Bible  stands  as  one  of  the  three  main  forms  of  Bible- 
m,  .       study.      By  the  other  two  I  mean,  in  the 

inree  mam  -^  •' 

forms  of         first  place,  the  Devotional  study  of  Scrip- 
e-s  u  y.    ^^j.g.  jj^  ^j^g  second  place,  that  which  has 

come  to  be  known  amongst  us  of  late  years  as  the 
Higher  Criticism.  I  am  not  discussing  which  of 
the  three  is  the  more  important.  We  would  all 
agree  that  the  devotional  use  of  Scripture  must  have 
the  first  place.      But  I  am  distinguishing,  and  plead- 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE  BIBLE.  259 

ing  for,  the  distinction  of  literary  study  in  the  sense 
that   I   have   described,    from  the  devotional  use  of 
Scripture,  on  the  one  side,  and  the  Higher  Criticism, 
on  the  other  side. 

The    devotional    use    of  Scripture — well,    we    all 
understand    what    that   is.       You    read    portions    of 
Scripture   with   your  soul  in  a   devotional 
spirit,  seeking  to  bring  your  soul  into  tune   tJ^^j^rstudy. 
with  what  you  read,  as  God's  own  message 
to  you.      That  is   the  devotional    use  of  Scripture. 
The  Higher  Criticism  I  understand  as  a  purely  his- 
torical analysis  of  Scripture.      Those  who  belong  to 
that   school  of  thinking   might   not   agree 
Avith  me:   I  am  speaking  from  the  outside.    criticTsm!^ 
But  as  I  survey  Bible-study  as  a  whole,  it 
appears  to  me  that  what  we  have  come  to  call  the 
Higher   Criticism  is  a  strictly  historical   analysis   of 
Scripture  —  one    that     sets     before    itself    historical 
problems,    and   solves  them   by  historical  methods. 
The   Higher  Criticism  deals  with   questions   of  this 
kind.      The  books  of  the   Bible, — are   they  by  the 
authors  whose  names  have  been  traditionally  attached 
to  them  }     Do  they  belong  to  the  ages  to  which  we 
have  been  accustomed  to  ascribe  them  }     Nay,  are 
they  books  at    all,   or  are    they  compilations    from 
various  sources,  which  need  splitting  up  into  frag- 
ments, the  different  fragments  having  very  different 
degrees    of    authority,    validity,    and    authenticity  } 
Now  those,  you  see,  are  purely  historical  questions, 
and  those  who  deal  with  them  deal  with  them,  quite 
rightly,   by  historical   methods.      We   concede   that 
these  matters  are    inevitable.      Historical   questions 


2  6o  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

must     be     faced     and     met    with     historical     ma- 
chinery. 

But  what  I  am  anxious  to  bring  out  is,  that  the 

literary   study   of   the   Bible,    in   the    sense    I    have 

described,    is    something    entirely  distinct, 

(c)  Literary  something  that  it  would  be  desirable  to 
study.  5^ 

differentiate  both  from  the  devotional  use 
of  Scripture,  on  the  one  side,  and  from  historical 
analysis  of  Scripture,  on  the  other  side.  I  want  to 
point  out  that  both  of  these,  the  devotional  use  and 
the  Higher  Criticism,  stand  in  need  of  the  literary 
study  of  the  Bible.  Both  may  go  wrong — I  mean, 
may  go  wrong  in  their  own  department  of  devotional 
exercise  or  historical  analysis — if  they  have  over- 
looked that  which  I  am  claiming,  in  the  literary 
study  of  the  Bible. 

And  this  is  so  important  that  I  propose  to  illus- 
trate it.  First,  I  will  take  the  devotional  use  of 
ThetliTee  Scripture.  I  want  to  show  how  this,  in  its 
kinds  of  sphere  of  devotional  exercise,  may  ffo 
study  illns-        ^  .  ^.        r.  r  % 

trated,   (a)     wrong    by    ignormg    the    literary   form   oi 

Devotional,  Scripture.  I  will  suppose  a  plain,  straight- 
forward Christian,  one  who  makes  no  pretensions  to 
scholarship,  but  who  of  course  has  his  rights  to  the 
devotional  use  of  Scripture,  like  the  wisest — I  will 
suppose  that  he  sits  down  to  read  a  chapter  of  the 
Bible.  He  is  reading  in  a  devotional  spirit,  that  is 
to  say,  he  is  seeking  to  bring  his  soul  into  tune  with 
what  he  reads,  as  God's  own  message  to  him.  And 
in  doing  this  he  feels  himself  very  safe.  Now  I 
want  to  suggest  to  you  that  our  plain  Christian  is  not 
as  safe  as  he  thinks.      For  suppose  that  the  chapter 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE.  261 

he  has  sat  down  to  read  is  a  chapter  from  the  Book 
of  Job,  and  he  has  omitted  to  observe  that  it  is  a 
continuation  of  the  preceding  chapter,  which  opened 
with  the  words,  "Then  answered  EHphaz  the 
Temanite."  So  that  he.  is  reading-  the  words  of 
EHphaz  the  Temanite.  Now  in  the  last  chapter  of 
Job,  as  you  all  know,  God  is  represented 
as  saying  that  the  three  friends  of  Job, 
Eliphaz  and  the  other  two,  have  not  said  of  Him  the 
thing  that  is  right.  So  that  our  plain,  straightfor- 
ward Christian,  in  his  devotional  use  of  Scripture,  has 
been  trying  to  bring  home  to  himself,  as  God's  mes- 
sage, something  spoken  by  a  speaker  whom  God 
Himself  repudiates.  Clearly  there  is  something 
wrong  somewhere.  How  has  he  gone  wrong — this 
plain,  straightforward  Christian,  in  his  devotional  use 
of  Scripture  }  I  say,  by  overlooking  a  point  of  liter- 
ary form :  by  overlooking  the  dramatic  character  of 
the  Book  of  Job. 

There  is,  as  everybody  understands  when  his 
attention  is  called  to  it,  a  great  difference  between 
dramatic  and  other  literature,  in  this  way:  if  you  are 
reading  a  work  of  philosophy — say  a  work  of  Herbert 
Spencer  or  John  Stuart  Mill — then  any  sentence  that 
you  come  upon  represents  the  mind  of  the  author. 
But  if  you  read  a  sentence  in  a  drama,  does  that 
sentence  necessarily  represent  the  mind  of  the 
author  ? 

"  '  Conscience  is  but  a  word  that  cowards  use, 
Devised  at  first  to  keep  the  strong  in  awe,' 

as  Shakespeare  says. "      Shakespeare  never  said  it. 
That   is   a   common   mistake.      You   will    find    that 


262  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

couplet  in  the  plays  of  Shakespeare,  but  Shakespeare 
does  not  say  it :   Shakespeare  makes  some- 

ShakesBeare,   ,       ,         ,  .  a       1      1  ■  1 

body  else  say  it.  And  does  it  make  no 
difference  when  you  find  that  the  somebody  else  who 
is  made  to  say  those  words  is  the  greatest  villain  that 
history  or  fiction  has  ever  portrayed  ?  It  is  obvious, 
when  attention  is  called  to  it,  that  in  dealing  with 
drama  you  may  not  assume  that  the  words  you  find 
represent  the  mind  of  the  author.  You  must  see 
into  whose  mouth  the  words  are  put :  and  if  they  are 
put  into  the  mouth  of  some  one  evil  and  tyrannous, 
opposed  to  the  general  character  of  the  author,  they 
are  more  likely  to  represent  the  opposite  of  what  he 
thinks  than  his  own  thoughts.  Thus  our  plain, 
straightforward  Christian  has,  in  his  devotional  exer- 
cises, gone  wrong,  it  seems  to  me,  through  ignoring 
this  point  of  literary  form.  He  has  read  words  in 
the  Bible  as  though  they  belonged  to  philosophy  or 
essay,  and  overlooked  the  fact  that  they  belonged  to 
drama,  and  are  to  be  interpreted  from  the  dramatic 
standpoint.  So  that  we  see  the  devotional  use  of 
Scripture  cannot  dispense  with  the  literary  study  of 
the  Bible. 

But  now  I  go  to  the  other  side — the  Higher  Criti- 
cism:  that  is,    the   historical   analysis.      And   I  will 

not,  this  time,  take  a  plain,  straightforward 

(b)  Critical.      „,     .     .  ,  t       -n   .    1  r    ^ 

Christian,  but  1  will  take  one  of  the  great- 
est of  the  historians — one  of  those  to  whom  the 
Higher  Criticism  owes  most.  And  I  am  bold  enough 
to  say  to  you  that  Wellhausen  goes  wrong  in  his 
own  department  of  history  through  ignoring  a  point 
of  literary  form.      The  passage  I  have  in  my  mind 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE  BIBLE.  263 

belongs  to  the  latter  part  of  what  is  our  Book  of. 
Micah:  but  without  your  referring  to  your  Bibles,  I 
can  give  you  the  general  drift  of  it.  If  you  read  the 
last  two  chapters,  as  they  appear  in  our  modern 
Bibles,  you  find  that  in  the  midst  of  your  reading 
there  comes  a  sudden  and  startling  change.  For 
some  time  you  have  been  reading  of  nothing  but 
terror,  woe,  and  distress.  All  of  a  sudden,  in  the  very 
next  verse,  you  come  to  buoyancy,  and  hope,  and 
confidence.  Now  of  course,  startling  changes  need 
explanation.  My  suggestion  is  that  the  Higher  Criti- 
cism— the  historical  analysis — looks  only  to  history 
for  explanation,  and  finding  this  startling  change 
from  distress  to  hope,  the  critics  are  driven  by  their 
methods  to  say,  * '  Why,  this  hopeful  passage  must 
have  com.e  in  by  mistake.  It  is  an  interpolation — 
and,  moreover,  an  interpolation  of  a  different  age, 
because  the  age  of  the  prophet  Micah  would  not 
warrant  this  buoyancy  of  spirit,  this  hopefulness." 
And  therefore  Wellhausen,  followed  by  the  greater 
part  of  the  historical  critics,  holds  that  that  part  of 
Micah  is  the  interpolation  of  a  later  age.  And  I 
quote  Wellhausen  in  particular,  because  he  puts  it 
so  epigrammatically :  ' '  Between  verses  six  and 
seven  there  yawns  a  century. ' '  Now,  the  literary 
study  of  the  Bible  says :  ' '  No,  between  verses  six  and 
seven  there  yawns  a  change  of  speakers. " 
This  part  of  Micah  is  dramatic.  You  are 
not  left  to  infer  this :  you  are  absolutely  told  that  it 
is  so.  All  this  part  of  the  Book  of  Micah  opens  with 
this  title :  ' '  The  voice  of  the  Lord  crieth  to  the  city, 
and  the  man  of  wisdom  will  see  His  name."      Now, 


264  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

any  one  who  is  familiar  with  prophetic  Hterature  will 
recognise  at  once   in    those    words     the    title    of   a 
prophetic  drama — one  of  the  many  prophetic  dramas 
in  our  Old  Testament.      He  will  also  recognise  that 
the  title  of  this  drama  warns  the  reader  to  expect  an 
addition    to    the    usual   dramatis   personce.      In   the 
prophetic  drama  the  dramatis  personce  usually  con- 
sist of  these — the  Prophet,  God,  and  the  guilty  Nation. 
But  in  these  words,   *  *  The  voice  of  the  Lord  crieth 
to  the  city,   and  the   man   of  wisdom  will   see   His 
name, ' '  you  have  promised  you  an  addition   to  the 
usual  dramatis  persoiKE,  in  the  Man  of  Wisdom — the 
faithful  remnant,  the  favoured  one  in  whose  behalf 
Divine    interposition   is   to    take    place.      Now,    this 
being  the  title  of  the  drama,  all  that  follows  the  title- 
verse  bears  out  the  description.     Following  the  title- 
verse  you  have,  in  the  first  place.  Divine  denuncia- 
tion of  Israel  as  a  corrupt  nation,  and  a  warning  of 
impending   evil.      Then   follows   the   speech   of  the 
guilty  nation — words  of  woe;  how  all  is  over,  and 
the  chance  of  salvation  gone ;   nothing  left  but  cor- 
ruption: **  Trust  ye  not  in  a  friend,  put  ye  not  confi- 
dence in  a  guide :   keep  the  doors  of  thy  mouth  from 
even   the  wife  of  thy  bosom."      Then  the  Man  of 
Wisdom  speaks:    **But  as  for  me,  I  will  look  unto 
the  Lord.      Rejoice  not  over   me,   O  mine  enemy: 
when  I  fall,  I  shall  arise."      Between  the  two  verses 
there  is  not  an  interval  of  time,  there  is  nothing  more 
than  a  change  of  speakers.      The  thing  is  perfectly 
obvious  to  those  who,  not  confining  themselves  to 
historical  methods,  will  also  keep  their  eyes  upon  the 
literary  form. 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE   BIBLE.  265 

So  the  literary  study  of  the  Bible,  in  the  sense  that 
I  have  designated — the  study  of  literary  form,  follows 
upon  the  principle  that  form  is  essential  to  matter. 
And  it  is  one  of  the  three  main  divisions  of  Bible- 
study.  I  do  not  claim  for  it  any  greater  importance 
than  for  the  other  two,  but  I  do  claim  for  it  atten- 
tion, and  my  claim  goes  further:  that  neither  the 
devotional  use  of  the  Bible,  in  its  area  of  devotional 
exercises,  nor  the  historical  analysis  of  the  Bible,  in 
this  department  of  the  Higher  Criticism — neither  of 
these  can  afford  to  do  without  the  literary  study  of 
the  Bible.  Without  it,  each  is  liable  to  go  wrong, 
even  in  its  own  sphere. 

Such,  then,  is  the  literary  study  of  the  Bible,  as  I 
understand  it.  But,  at  this  point,  I  think  I  ought  to 
meet  an   objection,    I  won't  say  in  every 

11  1    •  •  1  -11  ^  •  ^r    ^^^  right  tO 

mmd,  but  an  objection  that  will  make  itself  a  literary 
prominent  in  many  minds.      You  will  say,    study  of  the 
'  *  Is  not  such  literary  study  of  the  Bible  a 
new  thing  "^     Is  it  not  against  anything  that  connects 
itself   with    Scripture,    that    it     should     be    new  }  " 
Now,    it  is  perfectly  true  that  the  literary  study  of 
the  Bible,  as  I  have  defined  it,  is  a  new  thing:  but 
a  glance  at  the  history  of  Scripture  is  sufficient  to 
explain  that. 

No  one  questions  that  the  original  authors  of  the 
"Bible,    quite    apart    from  inspiration    of  a 
more  sacred  character,   were    also    men  of  of  Commen- 
the     hiq-hest    literary    power.       No     one,    tary/'lite- 

o  J      r  rary  form 


surely,  will  question  that  this  age  in  which   became  ob- 
we  live  is  an  age  that  can  and  does  appre-   ^°^^  ' 
ciate   literature.       But  between    our    modern    times 


2  66  THE   LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE  BIBLE. 

and  the  times  of  the  original  writers  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture there  intervenes  a  long  roll  of  centuries,  which, 
I  think,  are  best  described  by  the  phrase,  "  The  Age 
of  Commentary. ' '  In  this  intervening  period — shall 
I  say  twenty  centuries,  talking  in  round  numbers  ? — 
in  this  intervening  period,  between  the  time  of  the 
original  writers  of  Scripture  and  what  we  call  modern 
times,  the  age  of  commentary  has  obscured  literary 
form.  It  is  an  age  that  includes  what  we  call  the 
Middle  Ages  of  Europe,  and  extends  to  the  age  of 
rabbinical  discussions.  It  is  fair  to  say  that,  in  this 
long  period  of  time,  those  who  discussed  Scripture 
had  no  conception  whatever  of  the  Bible  as  litera- 
ture. It  did  not  belong  to  their  habits  of  thought. 
Think  of  the  rabbinical  commentaries.  Their  treat- 
ment of  Scripture  was  to  superimpose  upon  the 
written  word  interminable  verbal  comments.  The 
slightest  clause  was  sufficient  as  a  foundation  for 
long  and  interminable  controversy.  When  you 
come  to  the  Middle  Ages  of  Europe,  you  find  that 
when  they  refer  to  Scripture  they  do  not  refer  to  it 
in  a  literary  sense.  You  do  not  find  the  doctors  of 
the  Middle  Ages  discussing  St.  Paul  and  Isaiah,  or 
arguing  about  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  They 
simply  think  of  individual  clauses,  verses,  sentences. 
Indeed,  the  whole  habit  of  their  minds  was  to  look 
upon  Scripture  as  a  series  of  propositions.  When 
Martin  Luther,  representing  the  very  heart  of  the 
Middle  Ages,  enters  upon  his  Avork  in  the  Church, 
what  does  he  do  t  Does  he  write  a  theological 
work  }  Does  he  write  a  book  at  all  }  He  did  this 
afterwards:  but  what  he  does  while  he  is  still  under 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF    THE   BIBLE.  267 

the  influence  of  the  Middle  Ages  is  to  nail  on  the 
door  of  a  church  ninety-five  propositions — separate 
sentences  or  texts,  numbered  i,  2,  3,  4,  up  to  95; 
and  he  is  prepared  to  discuss  with  the  whole 
world  on  any  one  of  those  ninety-five  propositions. 
Luther's  adversary  puts  one  hundred  and  three 
propositions  on  the  door  of  another  church,  and  he 
is  ready  to  fight  these  before  the  whole  world. 
Their  way  of  looking  at  Scripture  was  wholly 
propositional.  So,  putting  together  the  Middle  Ages 
of  Europe  and  the  ages  of  the  rabbis,  you  see  they 
are  entitled  to  che  name  of  the  age  of  commentary. 
There  was  not  the  slightest  conception  of  the  Bible 
as  literature :  but  they  looked  upon  the  Bible  as 
materials  for  commentary,  or,  in  other  words,  texts 
for  comment. 

All  this  was,  no  doubt,  a  state  of  things  altogether 
favourable  to  the  preservation  of  the  Sacred  Word, 
this  minute  attention  to  clauses  and  verses.  But 
literary  form,  literary  distinctions  between  dramas 
and  essays  and  poems  and  the  like — all  these  lie 
buried  beneath  the  monotonous  surface  of  texts, 
which  appear  in  these  verses  divided  off  and  num- 
bered I,  2,  3,  4,  just  like  Luther's  ninety-five  pro- 
positions. It  takes  a  long  time  to  recover  from  a 
burial  of  twenty  centuries. 

The  first  step  in  recovering  this  submerged  literary 
form  was  taken  by  Bishop  Lowth  some  century  and 
more    after   our    King    James    translation,    pi^s^gt 
The  proper  distinction  between  verse  and  towards 
prose  had  been  unrecognised  until  he  redis- 
covered it.      And  the  second  step  was  taken  within 


2  68  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

my  own  memory,  and  probably  in  that  of  many  u  ho 

Second  ^.re  here,  in  the  Revised  Lectionary  of  the 

st^P-  Church  of  England  ;  for  the  chief  difference 

of  the  new  lectionary  was  that  it  had  shaken  itself 

free  of  chapters.      And  the  third  step  was  taken  in 

the   Revised  Version  of  the  Bible,  which  has  gone 

Third  ^a-^  to  free  itself  from  divisions.      These  are 

step.  -t-j-^g  slow  steps,  extending  over  centuries, 

that  have  been  taken  in  recovering  the  literary  form 

submerged  under  that  age  of  commentary.      But  the 

greater  part  still  remains  to  be  done,  and  we  must 

recover  the  full  form, — the  dramatic  form,  the  form 

of  essay,  the  form  of  philosophical  treatise,  the  form 

of  song, — we  must  restore  every  possibility  of  literary 

form  that  the  commentaries  of  centuries  have  taken 

from  us,  before  we  can  expect  to  arrive  at  the  proper 

interpretation,    before    we    can    apply    the    outward 

literary  form  to  the  interpretation  of  the  matter  and 

the  spirit  of  Scripture. 

Now  I  turn  more  particularly  to  practice.      As  a 

tj.     ^  practical  matter,  how  are  we  to  set  about 

How  to  en-       ^  ' 

gage  in  lit-  the  literary  study  of  the  Bible  in  the  strict 
of  sfble!^  ^  sense  in  which  I  define  it }  I  note  three 
points. 
In  the  first  place,  we  must  make  use  of  all  the 
devices  of  modern  printing  to  bring  out  the  true 
1.  Use  literary  form.      Shall  I  shock  you  if  I  say, 

suitable 

printing.  what  1  am  accustomed  to  say — that  the 
Bible  is  the  worst-printed  book  in  the  world  .-^  Not, 
of  course,  as  regards  paper,  or  typography,  or  bind- 
ing. If  you  think  that  literature  consists  in  typo- 
graphy and  printing  and    binding,    then   when   you 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF  THE  BIBLE.  2  6g 

have  bought  a  Bible  you  have  a  right  to  be  satisfied. 
But  in  everything  else,  the  Bible  is  the  worst-printed 
book  in  the  world.  The  most  trifling  poem  sent  to 
a  local  newspaper  is  printed  with  more  attention  to 
literary  form  than  the  great  literature  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

Imagine  this.  Imagine  a  few  plays  of  Shakespeare, 
a  few  poems  of  Wordsworth,  a  few  essays  of  Emer- 
son, one  of  Motley's  histories — imagine  all  these 
printed  in  a  single  volume.  Then  imagine  illustration 
that  the  printers,  in  order  to  save  space,  of  present 
blot  out  the  distinction  between  one  ^^  °  °™' 
speech  and  another  in  the  dramas,  knock  out  the 
names  of  the  speakers,  knock  out  the  distinctions 
between  one  poem  and  another,  and  the  titles  of 
the  poems ;  knock  out  the  distinctions  between 
verse  and  prose,  and  print  these  dramas,  and  poems, 
and  essays,  and  histories,  all  in  soHd  type  like  the 
columns  of  the  newspaper,  without  the  newspaper 
titles.  Imagine,  further,  if  you  can — I  am  putting 
a  great  strain  upon  your  imagination — imagine 
further  that,  in  order  to  have  this  matter  brought 
into  this  solid  form,  it  occurs  to  somebody  that  it 
might  be  very  useful  as  exercises  in  parsing  for 
children,  and  therefore  the  solid  matter  is  broken 
up  into  nice  little  verses  and  sentences,  of  a  length 
suitable  for  use  in  parsing,  and  the  whole  divided 
into  twenty  or  thirty  such  exercises.  If  your  im- 
agination can  go  as  far  as  that,  then  you  have  the 
exact  literary  form  in  which  our  Bibles  are  printed. 
Dramatic  form,  lyric  form,  distinction  of  speakers, 
distinction  of'titles,  and  what  not,  all  struck  out,  the 


2  70  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

whole  thing  printed  solid ;  and  yet  not  solid ;  broken 
up  into  verses  and  texts, — not,  I  grant,  for  purposes 
of  parsing,  but  the  injury  to  literary  form  is  precisely 
the  same. 

I  am  saying,  then,  that  one  of  the  practical  steps 
in  the  proper  study  of  the  Bible  is  to  restore  the 
literary  form, — print  the  poems  as  poems,  the  essays 
as  essays,  and  the  letters  as  letters,  etc.  That,  I 
may  say,  is  a  task  which  I  have  essayed  in  the 
editing  of  the  Modern  Reader's  Bible.  But  what  I 
have  endeavoured  to  do  must  be  done  by  others. 
It  will  be  done,  I  hope,  before  long  by  authority; 
and  the  Bibles  that  are  in  regular  use  amongst  us 
will  come  to  be  printed  in  the  proper  literary  form. 

Passing  over  this,  which  is  a  matter  for  the  few,  I 

come  to  my  second  practical  suggestion, — one  which 

appeals  to  the  many  or  to  all.     It  is  a  sim- 

2.  Study  ty        f^  .    \ 

books  not  pJe  practical  prmciple,  a  mere  rule  oi 
verses.  thumb,  and  yet  it  is  one  so  important  that 

I  believe  on  it  may  be  founded  the  whole  system  of 
the  literary  study  of  the  Bible.  And  it  is  this:  that 
whereas  in  traditional  use  the  unit  has  been  a  verse, 
in  the  literary  study  of  the  Bible  the  unit  must  be  a 
book.  A  book  at  a  sitting,  that  is  my  rule  of 
thumb.  I  say,  in  traditional  usage  the  unit  has  been 
a  verse.  Is  not  this  a  fact  ^  Nothing  more  harmful 
ever  happened  to  the  Bible  than  the  division  I  have 
spoken  of  into  verses — -into  texts  for  comment.  The 
result  is  that  most  people  think  of  the  Bible  as  a 
collection  of  isolated  verses,  isolated  texts.  I  speak 
with  all  reverence  when  I  say  it  is  as  if  the  Bible 
were  a  Divine  scrap-book.      Now,  in  place  of  texts, 


THE    LITERARY   STUDY    OF    THE   BIBLE.  271 

let  US  have  whole  books.  I  mean  by  a  '  book  '  a 
whole  poem,  a  whole  song,  a  whole  essay,  a  whole 
epistle,  and  the  like.  Are  you  using  the  Bible  as 
authority  in  matters  of  theology  }  Then  do  not 
search  all  over  the  Bible  for  texts  to  support  the 
particular  doctrine,  but  look  at  an  epistle  as  a  whole 
— at  a  prophecy,  or  unit  of  prophecy,  as  a  whole. 
Are  you  seeking  to  enjoy  the  Bible  }  Do  not  sit 
down  and  read  a  chapter,  but  take  some  literary 
unit,  a  poem,  as  a  whole,  or  a  particular  division  of 
history.  Dare  I  go  further  }  Are  you  seeking  a 
subject  for  a  sermon  }  Would  that .  you  might  be 
induced  not  always  to  preach  from  texts,  but  some- 
times to  take  as  your  theme  a  whole  book  of  Scrip- 
ture !  Seek  to  bring  into  the  compass  of  the  ser- 
mon's  length  the  spirit  and  matter  of  a  complete 
work.  And  the  dullest  of  your  audience  will  rouse 
up  and  bless  you. 

This,  then,  is  the  simple  practical  principle:  a 
whole  book  at  a  sitting.  I  have  said  that  I  know 
not  anything  more  important  than  this  in  the  prac- 
tical work  we  have  to  do.  May  I  give  an  example  } 
Perhaps  no  book  of  the  Bible  can  better  illustrate 
this  point  than  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy.  Just  fix 
your  attention  upon  the  history  of  the  epoch 
when  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy  first  ap-   JUiistration 

J  from  Deu- 

pears  in  history.      Observe,    I  don  t    say,   teronomy. 
when    it   was    first   written :    that   is    quite 
another  question.      But  when  the  Book  of  Deutero- 
nomy first  appears  in  history,  it  was — I  use  the  word 
advisedly — the  most  sensational  book  that  had  ever 
been  thrown  into  the  world.     As  the  result  of  that 


2  72  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

book  a  whole  nation  rushed  into  a  spiritual  revolu- 
tion— a  revolution  that  went  to  the  farthest  bound 
of  Judea.  Of  course,  spiritual  revolutions  that  are 
rushed  are  not  always  the  best.  But  Israel  had 
caught  the  flame,  and  it  never  entirely  went  out. 
Prophets  like  Jeremiah — their  thought  and  their 
language  ring  through  and  through  with  the  influence 
of  this  newly  discovered  Deuteronomy.  The  pious 
Israelite  read  portions  of  it  every  day  of  his  life. 
In  the  time  of  our  Lord  it  still  appeared  to  be  the 
favourite  book  of  devotion.  Yet  the  modern  Chris- 
tian, in  his  devotional  use  of  Scripture, — what  use 
does  he  make  of  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy  .''  If  your 
experience  is  the  same  as  mine,  you  will  be  aware 
that  he  usually  has  a  vague  idea  that  Deuteronomy 
has  something  to  do  with  law.  I  have  heard  it 
called  a  dull  book:  this  most  sensational  of  books 
is  looked  upon  by  the  ordinary  reader  as  uninterest- 
ing. Turn  now  to  the  Higher  Criticism,  and  you  find 
the  Book  of  Deuteronomy  a  storm-centre  of  con- 
troversy. But  observe  this :  that  if  you  examine  any 
historical  analysis  of  the  book,  I  venture  to  say  you 
will  find  five-sixths  of  it  occupied  with  just  fifteen 
chapters  in  Deuteronomy,  because  these  chapters  do 
present  historical  difificulties.  For  all  the  rest  of  the 
Book  of  Deuteronomy,  the  Higher  Criticism  discusses 
it  as  so  much  '  hortatory  matter. '  Now,  in  the  kind 
of  study  I  am  advocating,  it  is  just  this  '  hortatory 
matter  '  that  is  the  main  consideration. 

From  the  literary  point  of  view,  the  Book  of  Deu- 
teronomy is  the  oldest,  grandest  oratory.  Its  title 
should  be,    ' '  Deuteronomy,    or,   The  Orations   and 


THE   LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE  BIBLE.  273 

Songs  of  Moses."      Considered  simply  as  oratory,  if 
I  may  speak  my  own  opinion,   there  is  nothing  in 
Greek  or  EngHsh   to  surpass  it.      This  much,  how- 
ever,  you  can   learn  if  your  literary  sense 
is  alert,   by  simply  dipping-  into  Deutero- ^^**°^y  °^ 

'     /      .r  ^      r  Deuteronomy. 

nomy.  But  if,  instead  of  dipping  into  it, 
you  read  it  through  to  the  end,  you  learn  some- 
thing else.  You  learn  that  it  is  oratory,  growing 
gradually  into  drama ;  for  it  is  a  series  of  orations, 
presenting  a  great  situation — one  of  the  most  terribly 
pathetic  of  all  situations.  In  all  that  vast  assembly, 
Moses  is  the  only  one  who  understands  what  the 
promised  land  is,  and  Moses  is  the  only  one  who 
must  never  enter  it.  This  pathetic  situation  breaks 
into  the  majesty  of  his  periods.  "The  Lord  was 
angry  with  me  for  your  sakes  ' ' :  that  is  the  phrase 
under  which  Moses  veils  the  breakdown  of  his  whole 
lifework.  All  the  way  through  the  majestic  periods, 
this  pathetic  note  is  forever  sounding,  and  as  you 
pass  from  the  beginning  of  the  book  to  the  end,  you 
are  growing  nearer  and  nearer  the  climax. 

The  first  of  the  orations  brings  out  the  deposition 
of  Moses  from  his  office  of  leader.  The  second  is 
the  handing  over  of  the  Book  of  the  Covenant — 
hitherto  spoken  by  word  of  mouth,  now  for  the  first 
time  seen  in  writing — the  handing  over  of  the  Book 
of  the  Covenant  to  the  custody  of  the  Levites  and 
Elders.  The  third  of  these  orations  is  in  Analysis  of 
connection  with  that  first  of  Commination  t^eBook. 
Services,  the  ceremony  of  the  blessing  and  the 
curse.  And  you  may  search  literature  through  and 
through,  and.  you  will  find  no  language  that  comes 


274  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE 

near  the  scathing  denunciation  with  which  that  third 
oration  reaches  its  chmax.  There  is  the  fourth  ora- 
tion, entitled  the  Covenant  in  the  land  of  Moab. 
From  oratory  the  book  springs  to  song.  The  im- 
pulse comes  to  Moses  to  put  his  words  in  the  form 
of  poetry,  and  we  have  his  song  of  Jehovah  the 
Rock.  And  then  you  have  the  finale.  The  whole 
nation  knows  how  Moses  is  going  on  that  journey 
from  which  he  shall  never  return,  and  all  are  anxious 
to  catch  the  last  glimpse  of  him.  And  because  the 
people  are  so  numerous,  the  heads  of  the  tribes 
come  out  from  among  the  people  and  line  the  path 
by  which  their  leader  will  pass.  You  catch  the 
step  of  Moses,  slowly  traversing  the  way  between 
those  heads  of  the  tribes,  and  scattering  to  each 
burning  words — words  of  fire  which  were  the  pro- 
phetic war-cries  of  the  tribes, — until  he  has  tra- 
versed the  whole  line,  and  turns  to  lift  his  hands  in 
the  final  blessing: 

"  There  is  none  like  unto  God,  O  Jeshuron, 
Who  rideth  upon  the  heaven  for  thy  help, 
And  in  his  excellency  upon  the  skies. 
The  eternal'  God  is  thy  dwelling  place, 
And  underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms." 

Then  Moses  turns  and  passes  on  that  journey  on 
which  none  may  accompany  him.  And  from  that 
grand  outburst  of  poetry  you  drop  to  simple,  bare 
prose,  fittest  of  all  tones  for  the  purpose  of  conveying 
the  solitary  ascent  of  the  mountain,  the  long  gazing 
over  the  promised  land,  the  death  far  from  his  people, 
the  burial  in  the  sepulchre  which  no  rnan  knoweth; 


THE   LITERARY  STUDY   OF    THE  BIBLE.  275 

"and   the   days  of  the  weeping  and   mourning-   for 
Moses  were  ended." 

I  say,  this  book,  neglected  by  the  ordinary  Chris- 
tian, discussed  for  its  historical  difficulties  by  the 
Critical  School,  is  one  of  the  oldest,  greatest  literary 
treasures — magnificent  oratory,  growing  gradually 
into  the  greatest  of  dramatic  climaxes.  You  get 
that  by  reading  a  book  at  a  sitting. 

Here,  then,  we  have  the  main  principle  that  I 
would  lay  down.  If  you  like,  I  will  put  it  for  you 
in  technical  language.  Not  the  interpretation  of 
exegesis,  but  the  interpretation  of  perspec-  principle 
tive.  Exegesis  is  the  Greek  for  a  person-  enunciated. 
ally  conducted  tour — the  personally  conducted  tour 
that  takes  you  into  every  remote  point  of  the  un- 
known land,  and  flashes  up  for  you  every  darkest 
corner.  Without  this  on  the  part  of  some  one  or 
other  you  can  have  no  other  kind  of  sight.  But  the 
age  of  commentary  has  gone  on  so  long  that  the 
materials  collected  for  illumination  have  blotted  out 
the  thing  to  be  illuminated,  and  we  want  now  to 
supplement  the  interpretation  of  exegesis  with  the 
interpretation  of  perspective — the  book-at-a-sitting 
plan.  Take  your  stand  at  a  sufficient  distance  to 
be  able  to  survey  the  whole  at  one  view.  Sweep 
through  your  book  the  first  time :  of  course  it  leaves 
you  a  great  deal  that  you  do  not  understand.  Sweep 
through  a  second  time,  and  difficulties  of  the  first 
reading  have  vanished  in  the  light  of  the  whole. 
Sweep  through  it  again,  and  yet  again:  each  time 
you  gain  a  clearer  view,  and  from  first  to  last  what 
you  gain  is  a  hold  on  the  book  as  a  whole. 


276  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

The  third  point  needs  only  mention.      Apply  this 
to  the  Bible  as  a  whole.      The  Bible  disappears  as  a 

„  book,   to  reappear   as  a    library.      And  in 

Bible  as  a      the   literary  study  of  Scripture,   of  course 
^  ^^^^'  this  library  must  be  handled  in  a  literary 

sense  of  division  ; — the  history  by  itself,  the  wisdom 
by    itself,    the    poetry    and    idylls    by    themselves, 
prophecy  by  itself,  and  so  on.      Thus  the  Library  of 
the  Holy  Sciptures  would  be  somewhat  as  below. 

Here  must  be  distinguished  to  the  eye,  Story  [narrative  appealing 
to  the  imagination  and  emotions],  History  [narrative  appealing  to 
the  sense  of  record],  and  the  Historic  Documents  [such  as  in  modern 
books  would  make  up  Appendices  and  Foot-notes]. 

Whereas  Historic  Criticism  deals  with  the  Bible  as  materials  with 
which  to  investigate  past  history,  the  literary  study  recognises  "  The 
History  of  the  People  of  Israel  as  Presented  by  Itself."  This  makes  a 
beautiful  and  philosophical  unity,  when  the  different  parts  are  divided 
according  to  their  bearing  upon  the  central  idea  of  a  Chosen  People 
conscious  of  a  sacred  mission. 

Bible  History. 

Genesis — The  Foundation  of  the  Chosen  People. 

The  Exodus — [Exodus,  Let'itiais,  Numbers'].  The  migration  to  the 
Land  of  Promise.      Constitutional  History. 

[Deuteronomy,  or  the  Farewell  of  Moses :  Orations  and  Songs  illus- 
trating a  crisis  of  the  history.] 

The  Judges — \_yudges,  Joshua,  part  of  Samuel\.  The  struggle  from 
a  Theocracy  to  a  Secular  Monarchy. 

The  Kings  and  Prophets — [part  of  Samuel,  Kings],  The  Secular 
Monarchy  and  Theocracy  side  by  side. 

The  Chronicles  — The  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Israel. 

Wisdom,  or  Bible  Philosophy. 

The  Proverbs — Miscellaneous  Observations  of  Life,  with  Adoration 
of  Supreme  Wisdom.      [In  short  literary  forms.] 

Ecclesiasticus — Miscellaneous  Observations  of  Life,  with  Adoration 
of  Supreme  Wisdom.      [In  longer  literary  forms.] 

Ecclesiastes — Observation  turned  upon  Supreme  Wisdom,  and 
breaking  down  in  religious  despair. 


THE   LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE   BIBLE.  277 

Wisdom  of  Solomon — Ol^servation  directed  upon  Life  as  enlarged 
by  the  idea  ot  Immortality,  and  recovering  its  tone  of  Adoration. 

The  Book  of  Job — Various  attitudes  to  questions  of  Life  embodied  in 
different  speakers  of  a  drama. 

[To  which  may  be  added,  in  the  New  Testament :  Wisdom 
Christianized  (Epistles  of  St.  James  and  First  .SV.  yo/in)— Wis- 
dom applied  to  the  Life  of  Christ  in  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew.'\ 

Poetry. 

The  Psalms —  The  Lamentations. 

Biblical  Idylls — \_Solotnons  Song,  Ruth,  Esther.,   Tobif]. 

Prophecy. 

Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Daniel,  and  the  (so-called)  Minor 
Prophets. 

New  Testament. 

St.  Luke  and  St.  Paul :  The  History  of  the  New  Testament  Church 
as  presented  by  Itself.  \_The  Gospels  and  Acts,  with  the  Pauline 
Epistles  inserted  at  their  proper  places  :  thus  a  counterpart  to 
Old  Testament  History.] 

The  writings  of  St.  Johfi. 

Other  Gospels  and  Epistles. 

I  come  now  to  that  which  is  the  real  purpose  of 
our  lecture,  and  for  which  I  have  been  preparing 
in  all  I  have  said — the  application  of  all  this  to 
Christian  education.  You  will  not  expect  from  me 
any  detail  of  the  plan.  I  simply  want  to  lay  down 
the  general  principle  thoroughly  here  as  to  the  way 
in  which  you  will  apply  this  literary  study  of  the 
Bible  to  education  of  different  grades. 

I  recognise  three  stages :  the  stage  of  stories,  the 
stage  of  masterpieces,  the  stage  of  complete 
literary  g"roups.     First,  the  stasfe  of  stories.   Literary 

J  ^        ^  ^  study-Three 

I  take  the  distinction  between  story   and  stages. 
history.      It  is  very  important  to  insist  up- 
on   this,  because    I   believe   the    distinction    is   very 


278  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

little  understood,  or,  rather,  is  misunderstood.  Most 
people  seem  to  imagine  that  the  story  is  something 

1.  Stage  ^^^^  ^^  ^°^  ^^^^^ — something  which  is  made 
of  Stories.  up  by  somebody,  out  of  his  own  head, 
Avhereas  history,  we  know,  is  all  true.  Now  I  want 
to  say  that  the  distinction  between  history  and  story 
is  not  that  at  all.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  differ- 
ence between  story  and  history  is  a  question  of  the 
mode  in  which  it  is  put  before  us.  Narrative  that 
addresses  itself  to  our  sense  of  record  is  history. 
Narrative  that  presents  itself  to  imagination  and 
emotion,  to  the  creative  faculties — that  is  story. 

This  distinction  between  history  and  story  has 
application,  of  course,  to  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  But 
there  is  a  difference  between  story  in  the  Bible  and 
story  in  other  literature.  In  most  literatures  the  two 
things  are  perfectly  separate,  and  are  left  to  separate 
literary  men.  A  class  of  poets  and  fictionists  repre- 
sent one,  a  class  of  grave  historians  represent  another. 
It  is  one  of  the  literary  peculiarities  of  Scripture  that 
story  and  history  are  combined.  The  Bible  is  a  rich 
story-book,  but  the  stories  gravitate  to  that  history 
of  which  they  form  a  part.  Indeed,  in  your  ordinary 
Bibles  there  is  nothing  to  distinguish  what  is  story 
and  what  is  history.  And  that  is  a  pity,  because 
you  must  give  a  totally  different  mental  attitude  to 
the  two.  Just  as,  in  using  a  microscope,  you  alter 
the  focus  for  each  new  object  that  you  look  at,  so  you 
want  to  bring  a  totally  different  attitude  of  mind  to 
bear  upon  story  from  the  attitude  of  mind  you  have 
had  in  studying  history. 

You  sit  down  to  read  the  Book  of  Genesis.      You 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE.  279 

will  find  it  for  the  most  part  traversing  long-  periods 

of  time  in  a  few  lines.      All  of  a  sudden 

you  come  to  the    name    Joseph,    and    the   J^^^^^^^^^d 

■'  ^         r-    '  ]jy  Genesis. 

whole  character  of  what  you  are  reading 
transforms  itself.  You  get  more  interested.  There 
is  personality.  There  are  moving  spectacles  of  life 
in  the  background.  There  are  mysteries  of  dream- 
land becoming  clear  as  events  fulfil  them.  Sudden 
mutations  from  a  prison  to  a  prime  minister's  throne; 
strange  double  situations,  where  Joseph  recognises 
his  brothers  and  is  not  recognised  by  them  ;  divine 
Providence  coming  as  a  climax,  bringing  out  how 
the  cruel  act  of  the  brethren  has  led  simply  to  pro- 
viding the  salvation  for  Egypt  and  all  the  world ;  all 
these  followed  by  the  peaceful  conclusion.  You  go 
on  reading  Genesis,  and  you  will  find  yourself  deal- 
ing in  a  few  paragraphs  with  economic  changes  that 
must  have  taken  centuries  to  have  made  themselves 
felt.  There  is  thus  a  marked  distinction  between 
the  portion  relating  to  Joseph  and  what  preceded 
and  what  followed  it:  this  is  the  distinction  between 
story  and  history. 

The  Bible  is  rich  in  stories,  but  the  stories  have 
merged  themselves  in  the  history  of  which  they  are 
a  part.  The  story  is  used  as  a  mode  of  historic  em- 
phasis ;  and  in  any  properly  printed  Bible  you  ought 
to  have  something — it  might  be  no  more  than  a  title 
— to  warn  you  where  you  pass  from  story  to  history, 
that  you  may  change  your  mental  focus.  Story,  in 
the  sense  in  which  I  am  speaking  of  it,  is  the  natural 
food  for  children.  Thus  you  want,  as  your  first 
stage  in  the  literary  study  of  the  Bible,  Bible  stories, 


28o  THE  LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE  BIBLE. 

isolated  from  the  history  to  which  they  belong,  and 
Title-divi-  presented  by  themselves.  You  want  not 
sioDs.  very    much    teaching    with    these    stories. 

The  youthful  mind  studies  life :  these  stories  give  you 
palpable  life,  ready  for  any  degree  of  teaching  and 
criticism  you  desire.  And  what  you  do  in  this  way 
of  criticism  ought  to  have  reference  to  this  great  prin- 
ciple,— that  our  first  duty  to  a  story  is  to  love  it. 
But  one  thing  more  may  be  done  in  this  first  stage  of 
stories.  While  the  stories  themselves  should  always 
be  left  as  they  stand,  yet  in  the  selection  of  them  a 
great  deal  may  be  done.  They  should  be  so  selected 
as  to  illustrate  the  grand  divisions  of  history.  And 
so,  in  the  first  stage,  the  young  mind  will  uncon- 
sciously be  studying  history  all  the  while  that  it  is 
appreciating  story;  that  is,  the  stories  will  illuminate 
the  great  features  of  the  historic  periods  which  at  a 
later  stage  the  reader  will  be  called  upon  to  correlate 
for  himself.  He  will  find,  when  he  comes  to  study 
history  as  such,  that  he  is  moving  from  one  to 
another  of  the  incidents  with  which  he  has  already 
become  familiar. 

The  second  stage  I  call  the  stage  of  masterpieces. 

Story  is  only  one  of  the  literary  forms  of  Scripture. 

You   have,    of  course,   oratory;   you  have 

2.  Stage  of  .  .  . 

Master-  lyric,  you  have  dramatic  essays,  philosophy, 
pieces.  g^j^^  ^i^g  V\kQ.      In  what  we  call  the  second 

stage  you  want  to  accustom  the  youthful  mind  to  take 
an  interest  in  literary  forms  as  such, — always  remem- 
bering our  foundation  principle,  that  a  grasp  of  the 
literary  form  is  essential  for  the  matter  and  the  spirit. 
Now  literary  forms  are  best  taught  by  masterpieces. 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF    THE  BIBLE. 


281 


I  use  the  term  ' '  masterpieces  ' '  simply  to  imply  that 
certain  things  are  more  suitable  than  others  for 
giving  a  grasp  of  the  form,  which  is  what  we  are 
looking  for.  These  masterpieces  must  be  absorbed. 
They  must  be  studied  and  studied,  and  assimilated, 
to  such  an  extent  that  not  simply  the  matter,  but  the 
form  itself,  becomes  dear  to  the  youthful  mind. 

Thus,  to  take  a  brief  illustration  :  among  the  lyrics 
of  Scripture  there  is  nothing  greater  than  Deborah's 
Song.  But  it  is  one  thing  to  read  Deborah's  Song 
as  it  appears  in  its  prose  form  in  the  fifth 
chapter  of  the  Book  of  Judges.  It  is  quite  by  Deborah's 
another  thing  to  see  Deborah's  Song  pre-  °°^' 
sented  in  its  true  literary  form,  as  an  antiphonal 
chorus: — a  chorus  of  women,  led  by  Deborah,  and 
a  chorus  of  men,  led  by  Barak — and  how  they 
answer  one  another,  and  then  unite.  Now  these 
choruses  of  men  and  women  clash  with  one  another, 
then  they  unite  in  an  apostrophe  to  Heaven.  The 
chorus  of  men  describe  the  miserable  condition  of 
Israel,  the  chorus  of  women  break  in  with  the  words 
'*I  Deborah  arose,  a  mother  in  Israel."  The 
chorus  of  men  appeal  to  the  men  that  ride  upon 
white  asses  and  sit  in  judgment,  the  chorus  of  women 
cry  to  the  assemblies  of  women  in  the  places  of 
drawing  water.  Then  you  have  the  gathering  of  the 
tribes.  You  have  the  chorus  representing  the  tribes 
that  came  to  the  battle,  and  those  that  refused,  and 
those  that  changed  their  minds.  The  men  sing, 
' '  By  the  waters  of  Reuben  there  were  great  re- 
solves." The  women  reply  sarcastically,  "Why 
then  staid  ye  by  the  sheepfolds,  to  hear  the   pipings 


282  THE   LITERARY  STUDY   OF   THE   BIBLE. 

for  the  flocks  ?  ' '  And  the  men  answer,  ' '  By  the 
watercourses  of  Reuben  there  were  great  searchings 
of  heart.  "  The  men  describe  the  kings  coming  to 
fight:  the  women  chime  in,  "The  stars  in  their 
courses  fought  against  Sisera. "  The  men  shout, 
"Curse  ye  Meroz,  curse  ye  bitterly  the  inhabitants 
thereof,  because  they  came  not  to  the  help  of  the 
Lord."  The  men  describe  the  strange  ending  of 
Sisera, — how  Jael,  the  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite, 
received  him: 

"  She  put  her  hand  to  the  nail, 
Her  right  hand  to  the  workman's  hammer ; 
And  with  the  hammer  she  smote  Sisera, 
She  smote  through  his  head, 
Yea,  she  struck  and  pierced  through  his  temples. 
At  her  feet  he  bowed,  he  fell,  he  lay ; 
At  her  feet  he  bowed,  he  fell, 
Where  he  bowed,  there  he  fell  down  dead." 

The  women,  with  delicate  imagery,  picture  the 
mother  of  Sisera  looking  through  the  lattice,  and 
saying:  "Why  is  his  chariot  so  long  in  coming.-* 
Why  tarry  the  wdieels  of  his  chariot  .''  ' '  They  repre- 
sent the  mother  and  her  wise  ladies  questioning 
among  themselves,  while  waiting  for  the  spoil. 
And  then  all  together  join  in  the  final  cry  to 
Heaven:  "So  perish  all  Thine  enemies;  but  let 
those  that  love  the  Lord  rejoice  as  the  sun,  when  he 
goeth  forth  in  his  might."  I  say  that  Deborah's 
Song  read  as  prose,  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  Judges,  is 
a  very  different  thing  from  Deborah's  Song  presented 
in  its  true  literary  form,  with  these  clashing  choruses 
of  men  and  women.      It  is  such  effects  as  these  that 


THE   LITERARY  STUDY    OF    THE   BIBLE.  283 

we  should  seek  to  brin<;  out  in  this  stage  of  study  of 
masterpieces. 

We  proceed  towards  the  third  stage,  the  stage  of 
the  complete  literary  group.    We  ma}-  deal  now  with 
Scripture  as  it  stands,  but  not  in  historical 
divisions,  not  in  divisions  made  for   theo-   the  compete 
logical  purposes,  but  in  the   proper  literary   literary 
divisions — the  study  of  history  as  history, 
of  drama   as    drama,   of  prophecy  as    prophecy,    of 
philosophy  as  philosophy. 

Let  me  take  an  example.     Nothing,  perhaps,  illus- 
trates our  subject — the  distinction  between   literary 
and  other  studies — better  than  the  study  of  mugtrated 
Bible  History.     In  the  first  place,  the  great  V  Bible 

...  ,  1  r  /-^  •  History  iu 

historic  tract  that  stretches  from  Genesis  to  old  Testa- 
the  Chronicles,  and  on  to  Nehemiah  and  ^^^^' 
Ezra — this  must  be  presented  properly  to  the  eye. 
We  must  have  a  distinction  made  to  the  eye  between 
the  historic  narrative,  and  the  appendices  of  statistical 
reference,  and  the  stories  which  are  used  to  illustrate 
the  history.  That  is  one  thing.  But  there  is  some- 
thing more  than  that.  In  the  historic  analysis  of 
Scripture,  these  historical  parts  are  used  as  mate- 
rials from  which  to  work  up  to  the  actual  history. 
Literary  study  of  the  Bible  takes  quite  a  different 
view.  Here  it  makes  no  matter  what  your  historical 
view  of  the  Bible  is — whether  you  look  upon  its  his- 
torical books  as  representing  the  actual  facts,  or 
whether  you  look  upon  them  as  accretions  of  a  later 
age,  or  whether  you  cannot  make  up  your  mind 
between  the  one  view  and  the  other.  The  literary 
study  of  the  historic  books  takes  them  as  the  history 


284  THE   LITERARY  STUDY   OF    THE   BIBLE. 

of  the  people  of  Israel,  presented  by  themselves. 
It  is  not  a  question,  '*  How  far  does  this  present  the 
actual  history?"  Be  that  as  it  may,  in  the  Bible 
we  find  the  history  of  Israel  as  understood  by  the 
people  themselves. 

A  grand  piece  of  literature  is  this  first  portion  of 
Scripture, — a  grand  piece  of  historical  literature, — 
bringing  out  the  nation's  sense  of  its  divine  mission. 
First  you  have  Genesis,  the  formation  of  the  chosen 
people.  Then  the  Exodus  (not  the  Biblical  Exodus, 
but  Exodus,  Leviticus,  Numbers) ;  this  is  the  journey 
to  the  Land  of  Promise,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
period  of  constitutional  development,  where  all  the 
constitutional  documentary  history  is  found  massed 
Analysis  of  together.  Story  is  used  here,  as  ever,  to 
Pentateucli.  illuminate.  At  the  beginning,  you  have 
the  story  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt,  in  which  you  see 
Israel  as  a  horde  of  slaves  under  the  taskmaster. 
Near  the  close,  you  have  the  grander  story  of 
Balaam:  a  man  coming  to  curse  Israel,  who  is  over- 
powered by  the  spectacle  of  their  greatness,  and 
turns  his  curse  into  a  blessing.  At  that  point  you 
break  off  from  history  to  oratory:  you  have  the  ora- 
tions and  songs  of  Moses,  constituting  his  farewell 
to  Israel.  For  the  next  division  of  the  history,  we 
have  the  Books  of  Joshua  and  Judges.  There  you 
will  find  the  struggle  between  the  theocracy,  or 
government  by  an  invisible  God,  and  the  tendency 
to  assimilate  Israel  to  surrounding  nations.  The 
next  grand  division  is  the  Kings  and  the  Prophets, 
where  the  tendency  to  secular  government  is  repre- 
sented in  kingship,  and  the  prophets  stand  forth  to 


THE   LITERARY  STUDY   OF    THE   BIBLE.  285 

represent  the  original  theocracy;  so  together  they 
are  Hke  the  government  and  opposition  of  modern 
constitutional  countries.  And  then,  a  little  later, 
there  comes  the  time  when,  on  returning  from  exile, 
they  are  no  longer  a  nation,  but  only  a  Church. 
This  gives  us  the  Chronicles,  with  the  Books  of 
Ezra  and  Nehemiah,  the  ecclesiastical  history  of 
Israel.  We  must  then  study  the  historical  parts 
of  Scripture  as  a  literary  whole,  and  from  the  lite- 
rary point  of  view. 

I  will  take  just  one  more  illustration :  the  wisdom 
or  philosophy  of  the  Bible.  I  venture  to  say  that 
no  literature  of  the  world  has  a  philoso- 
phical literature  which  mak£s  so  perfect  by  Bible 
and  complete  a  unity.  If  you  were  study-  l*bilosophy. 
ing  this  from  the  point  of  view  of  historic  analysis, 
your  attention  would  be  called  to  such  points  as  the 
dates  of  the  various  books,  the  circumstances  of  the 
age,  how  a  book  was  influenced  by  the  secular  litera- 
ture and  thought  of  its  times,  and  the  like.  All  that 
is  perfectly  proper  in  its  own  sphere.  What  I  want 
is  to  show  how  very  different  a  thing  is  what  I  am 
calling  the  literary  unity  of  Biblical  wisdom.  Through 
it  all  runs  a  distinction  between  the  two  meanings 
of  the  term  ' '  wisdom. ' '  You  might  call  it  ' '  wisdom 
with  a  small  w,  and  Wisdom  with  a  capital  W. 
The  wisdom  with  a  small  zv  is  the  wise  observation 
of  human  life  and  conduct.  The  Wisdom  with  the 
capital  W — who  shall  define  that  }  The  sense  of 
harmony  and  unity  running  through  the  whole  uni- 
verse, and  man's  inner  nature:  something  like  what 
we  mean  by  Providence. 


286  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

Now  with  this  th.ought  before  us,  observe  the 
separate  books.  First,  you  have  the  Proverbs — 
isolated  observations  of  Hfe,  in  the  very  shortest  of 
literary  forms,  proverbs  and  epigrams,  with  hymns 
of  adoration  to  the  great  Wisdom,  the  Wisdom  that 
runs  through  the  universe.  In  Ecclesiasticus,  the 
second  of  these  books  of  wisdom,  you  have  again 
isolated  observations  of  life,  but  in  longer 

Analysis  of 

the  Books  of  literary  forms:  the  maxim  and  the  essay 
Wisdom.  come  in.  But  here,  again,  you  have 
hymns  of  adoration  to  the  Wisdom  that  runs 
through  the  universe  as  a  whole.  The  third  book 
is  Ecclesiastes.  Here  you  have  this  great  literary 
interest,  that  for  the  first  time  analytical  observation 
is  turned  upon  the  universe  as  a  whole,  and  not 
simply  upon  life  and  conduct.  The  literary  observa- 
tion turned  upon  the  universe  as  a  whole  breaks 
down  in  religious  despair.  You  no  longer  have 
hymns  of  adoration  to  Wisdom :  but  instead  you 
find  elegies  on  the  theme,  "Vanity  of  vanities,  all 
is  vanity. ' '  But  now  comes  the  corrective,  in  the 
fourth  book,  the  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  from  the 
Apocrypha.  Once  more  observation  is  turned  upon 
the  universe  as  a  whole,  but  it  is  a  universe  enlarged 
by  the  thought  of  immortality.  The  opening  words 
are,  "  God  made  not  death,  neither  hath  He  pleasure 
when  the  wicked  perish:  for  righteousness  is  im- 
mortal." With  this  enlarged  conception  of  human 
life,  observation  may  rest  upon  it,  and  see  again 
wisdom ;  and  the  whole  resolves  into  a  great  scheme 
of  Providence.  Four  separate  works  represent  four 
different    philosophical   attitudes.      Then  comes  the 


THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF  THE  BIBLE.  287 

grand  climax.  The  Book  of  Job  takes  these  four 
different  philosophical  attitudes,  and  puts  them  into 
the  mouth  of  four  different  speakers,  in  a  drama,  and 
draws  them  into  unity  in  a  dramatic  plot.  Now  I 
say,  in  no  other  literature  of  this  world  will  we  find 
so  perfect  a  literary  unity  running  through  its  wisdom 
and  philosophy. 

Shall  I,  in  conclusion,  be  confronted  with  this 
objection, — that  what  I  have  advocated  is  "reading 
the    Bible    like    any    other    book  ' '  .?     My 

icT\  J  ^11-  Conclusion. 

answer  is,  "  Do  you  or  do  you  not  believe 
that  the  Christian  Revelation  is  conveyed  to  us  in 
the  form  of  literature  }  ' '  Once  you  grant  that,  then 
I  say  you  must  commence  with  the  literature.  You 
must  first  deal  with  the  books  as  books :  and  when 
you  have  grasped  their  outward  literary  form,  then 
you  go  on  to  their  matter  and  spirit. '  '  *  First  that 
which  is  natural;  afterwards  that  which  is  spiritual." 
First  in  time,  I  mean ;  afterwards,  in  time,  that 
which  is  spiritual.  I  have  never  known  any  excep- 
tion to  the  experience  that  attention  to  the  literary 
form  brings  a  harvest  of  spiritual  force. 

And  let  me  end  as  I  began.  You  who  are 
specially  concerned  with  the  organization  of  Sunday- 
school  teaching,  look  for  a  moment  outside  your 
immediate  sphere.  Are  you,  of  all  people,  content 
with  the  secularization  of  literary  culture  .''  For  that 
is  what  it  comes  to.  We  are  accustomed — I  don't 
speak  of  Sunday-schools  now — we  are  accustomed, 
in  the  schemes  of  our  high  schools  and  colleges  and 
universities,  to  send  our  young  people,  for  their 
literary  culture,   to  literatures  which  spiritually  are 


2  88  THE  LITERARY  STUDY  OF   THE  BIBLE. 

at  the  opposite  poles  from  ourselves — to  the  great 
literatures  of  Greece  and  Rome,  which  spiritually  are 
negative  to  us ;  where  the  highest  passion  is  sensu- 
ous passion,  the  highest  conception  of  Providence  is 
mocking  fate,  w^here  philosophies  are  philosophies  in 
which  God  is  a  traditional  accident:  and  all  the 
while  we  have  in  our  own  very  hands,  being  familiar 
with  it  from  our  very  childhood,  one  of  the  oldest, 
grandest  literatures,  in  which  lyrics  are  not  inferior 
to  the  lyrics  of  Greece,  oratory  is  equal  to  anything 
that  the  world  has  ever  produced,  philosophy  has  an 
application  to  our  actual  life ;  which  gives  us  dramas 
such  as  no  theatre  could  ever  attempt — dramas  in 
which  all  space  is  the  stage,  all  time  is  the  period, 
and  God  Himself  is  one  of  the  chief  actors.  Is  it 
not  reasonable  that  we  should  accustom  those  who 
are  seeking  higher  education  to  associate  literary 
beauty  with  that  which  is  in  harmony  with  our 
spiritual  feeling,  and  not  simply  with  that  which  is 
opposed  to  it  ?  And  you  whose  immediate  concern 
is  to  deal  with  the  teaching  of  Sunday-schools,  see, 
in  carrying  out  your  tasks,  that  you  lay  a  foundation 
for  bringing  together,  in  later  life,  the  study  of  the 
Classics  and  the  literary  study  of  the  Bible. 


TOPICAL  INDEX. 


I.  History  of  Religious  Education. 
Beginnings  in  Jewish  system,  p.  107  ff. 

Origin  of  Teaching  Function  of  the  Church,  p.  23  ff. 
Religious  Education  in  the  early  Church,  p.  109. 

"  "        in  the  Middle  Ages,  pp.  26,  28. 

Effect  of  the  Reformation,  p.  6  f. 
Origin  of  Religious  Instruction  in  England,  p.  49  ff. 
First  Sunday-schools,  p.  55  f. 
Work  of  Dupanloup  in  France,  p.  1 10  f. 

II.  Present  Condition  of  Religious  Education. 
The  Public  School  and  Religion,  pp.  8  ff.,  34. 
Age  of  Revivals  past,  p.  71  f. 

Religious  Instruction  in  England,  p.  52  ff. 

"  "         in  France,  p.  56.    . 

**  "         in  Germany,  p.  57  ff. 

America  and  Europe  compared,  p.  62  ff. 
Responsibility  of  the  Sunday-school,  p.  15. 
Biblical  Study  in  the  Universities,  p.  244  f. 
Lack  of  pedagogical  training  for  the  Ministry,  p.  iii. 
Need  of  the  Church  for  Educators,  p.  127. 
Need  of  better  religious  Pedagogy,  pp.  65  f.,  75,  126,  165  f. 
Danger  of  Secularization  in  Literary  Study,  p.  287  f. 

III.  Organization  of  Religious  Education. 

Religious  Education  part  of  Education  as  a  whole,   pp.  3,  6,  27, 
106,  133. 

289 


'■90  TOPICAL  INDEX. 

The  Agencies  for  Religious  Education,  p.  15. 
The  Sunday-school  essential  to  the  Church,  p.  107. 
Organization  of  the  Sunday-school,  pp.  15  ff.,  85  f. 
Training  of  Sunday-school  Teachers,  p.  40. 
Examinations  for  Sunday-school  Teachers,  p.  212. 
Payment  for  Sunday-school  Teachers,  p.  17. 
Confirmation  Instruction,  p.  97  f. 
Systematic  Instruction  of  a  Congregation,  p.  90  fF. 


IV.  Content  of  Religious  Education. 

Definition  and  Purpose  of  Religious  Education,  pp.  4  £,  62,  79  f., 

105  f.,  133,  196. 
Division  into  a)  Character  material,  p.  81  f. 

b)  Church  material,  p.  82  f. 
Courses  of  Study,  pp.  17,  66,  86  fF.,  91,  113  ff.,  127  ff. 
Necessity  of  a  curriculum  for  Sunday-schools,  p.  112. 
Religious  Study  of  Nature,  pp.  121  f.,  174  f. 
Sacred  Geography,  p.  122  f.,  Lect.  IX. 
Religious  Study  of  History,  p.  123  ff. 
Christian  Ethics,  p.  124  f. 


.  Methods  of  Education  in  Particular  Subjects. 

a)  The  Catechism,  pp.  40,  86  £,  90,  113  f.,  149. 

b)  The  Prayer-book,  pp.  92  f.,  125  f. 

c)  The  Church  Year,  p.  94. 

d)  The  Bible. 

Value  of  Bible  Study,  pp.  41,  118  ff. 

How  to  teach  it,  pp.  114  f.,  118  ff.,  158  f.,  178  f.,  197  ff. 

Literary  Study  of  Bible,  Lect.  X. 

Forms  of  Literature,  p.  252  f.,  276  f. 
Importance  of,  pp.  253  ff.,  260  ff. 

Differentiated  from  other  main  forms: 

a)  Devotional  Study,  p.  260  ff. 

b)  Critical  Study,  p.  262  ff. 

Lack  of  appreciation  for  in  Past,  p.  265  ff. 
Beginnings  and  growth,  p.  267  f. 
A  Book  as  a  Unit,  p.  270  f. 
Bible  a  Library,  p.  276  f. 


TOPICAL   INDEX.  291 

Three  Stages  of  Literary  Study: 

a)  Story  and  History,  p.  278  f. 

b)  Masterpieces,  p,  280  fiF. 

c)  Literary  Groups,  p.  283  ff. 
Proper  Printing  of  Bible,  p.  268  f. 
Reading  like  any  other  Book,  p.  287. 
Lifluence  of  Scientific  Study  on  Piety,  p.  242. 
Reliance  on  Scientific  Methods,  p.  246  f. 
Danger  of  Unreality  in  Teaching,  p.  136. 
Supported  by  Psychology,  p.  186  f. 
Geography  of  the  Bible,  Lect.  IX. 

Its  Contributions,  p.  215  ff. 

Illustration  of  Helpfulness  of,  p.  216  f. 

Antidote  to  Unreality,  pp.  218,  220. 

Influence  on  Character  and  History,  pp.  219  f.,  241. 

Important  for  General  Education,  p.  221  f. 

As  a  Sunday-school  Course,  pp.  222  f.,  241  f. 

Authorities  on,  for  Sunday-school  Library,  p.  224  ff. 

Maps  of,  pp.  226 f.,  228. 

Departments  of : 

a)  Descriptive,  p.  228  ff. 

b)  Physical,  p.  231  ff. 

c)  Geological,  p.  237  f. 

d)  Commercial,  p.  238  f. 

e)  Racial,  p.  239  f. 
f)  Historical,  p.  240  f. 

Geographical  Zones  in  Palestine,  p.  231  ff. 
Advantage  of  Map-drawing,  p.  229. 
Making  Bas-relief  Maps,  p.  237. 
e)  Christ,  p.    159. 

VI.  The  Science  of  Teaching. 

Instruction  based  on  Laws  of  Mind,  p.  195. 
The  three  Problems  of  Instruction,  p.  133  f. 
Two  Ways  of  Learning,  pp.134  f.,  142. 
Dramatic  Imagination,  p.  134  f. 
The  Teacher  a  Creator,  p.  135. 
The  Art  of  Story-telling,  pp.  137-145. 
Reality,  p.  137  ff. 


292  TOPICAL  INDEX, 

Reserve  in  using  imagination,  p.  142. 

Clear  notion  of  meaning,  pp.  143,  145,  148. 

Difference  in  titles,  p.  144. 

Dangers  :  too  much  meaning,  p.  144  f. 
"  wrong  interpretations,  p.  145. 

Importance  of  Biography,  pp.  197-213. 

Value  of  Personification,  p.  201  ff. 

Why  Biography  interests,  pp.  203  ff. ,  206. 

Danger  in  it,  p.  210. 

Useful  for  Reviews,  p.  211. 

Age  for  Biographical  Teaching,  p.  212. 
Knowing  the  pupil,  p.  I49f. 
The  Common  Denominator,  p.  150  f. 
Preparation  necessary  to  receive  Truth,  p.  153  f. 
Lines  of  Insight  needful,  p.  155. 
Connection  between  Lessons,  p.  204  ff. 
Necessity  for  the  Concrete,  p.  206  ff. 
Memoriter  Methods,  p.  86  f. 
How  much  moralizing  is  needed,  p.  207  ff. 
Reliance  on  internal  authority,  p.  157. 
Directions  for  studying  any  subject-matter,  p.  146  f. 
Use  of  Stereopticon,  p.  94. 
Bad  effects  of  "  Uniform  Lessons,"  p.  166  f. 

VII.  Child  Study. 

Its  Development,  p.  163 

Childhood  the  Best  Period  of  Life,  pp.  164,  188  f. 

Child  the  Type  of  the  Species,  p.  164  f. 

Passes  through  Stages  of  Race  Life,  p.  167  ff. 
Each  stage  to  be  lived  out,  p.  169  f. 
Religious  Evolution  of  the  Child,  p.  170 f. 

Fetich  Worship,  p.  i7of. 

Nature  Worship,  pp.  171,  176. 
Adolescence,  pp.  66  ii.,  179 f.,  183  f. 

Evils  of  Revivalism,  p.  182  f. 

"     "  Subjectivity,  pp.  68  f.,  73  f. 

Salvation  best  taught  here,  p.  179  f. 

Important  to  teach  Love,  p.  180  f. 


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Armory  H.  Bradford,  D.D. —Browning's  "Saul."  By  Hamilton  W.  Ma- 
bie— Keble's  "Christian  Year."     By  Henry  Van  Dyke,  D.D. 

CONYBEARE    AND    HoWSON'S    St.    PaUL. 

The  Life  and  Epistles  of  St.  PauL 

By  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Conybeare,  M.A.,  and  the  Very  Rev.  J.  S.  How- 
SON,  D.D.  Revised  Cheaper  Edition.  With  40  Illustrations  and  4 
Folding-out  Maps  and  Plans.      i2mo.     872  pages.     $1.25. 

St.  Paul  and  His  Missions. 

By  the  Abbe  Constant  Fouard,  Honorary  Cathedral  Canon,  Pro- 
fessor of  the  Faculty  of  Theology  at  Rouen,  etc.,  etc.  Translated  with 
the  Author's  Sanction  and  Co-operation  by  the  Rev.  George  F.  X. 
Griffith.     With  Maps.     Small  8vo,  gilt  top.     $2.00. 

The  Churchman,  New  York :  I  life  is  delightfully  fresh  and  interest- 
"  We  give  a  hearty  welcome  to  this  I  ing.  .  .  .  We  feel  that  we  know 
book  of  the  Abbe  Fouard's.  His  St.  Paul  better  than  we  did  before 
'  Saint  Peter  and  the  First  Years  of  j  we  took  up  the  Abbe's  work. 
Christianity'  will  have  raised  the  i  "  There  are  good  maps,  a  full  in- 
expectations  of  students  who  have  I  dex,  and  an  abundant  supply  of 
known  it,  but  we  think  that  even  they  .   notes   and  references.      .     .      .     On 


will  be  hardly  prepared  for  so  delight- 
ful and  interesting  a  book  as  this  of 
the  life  of  St.  Paul.  .  .  .  The 
setting  and  presentation  of  St.  Paul's 


the  whole,  we  believe  there  are  few 
lives  of  St.  Paul  which  the  ordinary 
Bible  student  will  find  more  attrac- 
tive and  helpful  than  this." 


The  Last  Years  of  St.  Paul. 

By  the  Abbe  Constant  Fouard.  Translated,  with  the  Author's 
Sanction,  by  George  F.  X.  Griffith.  With  Maps  and  Plans.  Small 
8vo,  gilt  top.     $2.00.  [Just  Published. 

The  Voyage  and  Shipwreck  oi  St.  Paul. 

By  James  Smith,  of  Jordan -hill.  With  Dissertations  on  the  Life  and 
Writings  of  St.  Luke,  and  the  Ships  and  Navigations  of  the  Ancients. 
With  Numerous  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo.     $2.00. 


Longmans,  Green,  &-  Go's  Publications. 


The  Art  of  Teaching. 

By  David  Salmon,  Principal  of  Swansea  Training  College.     Crown 
8vo.     289  pages.     $1.25. 

This  book  is  devoted  to  the  exposition  of  teaching  as  a  Technical  Art 
founded  on  experience,  philosophical  principle  and  scientific  observation' 
In  the  Introduction  the  author  adopts  Milton's  definition  of  "  a  complete 
and  generous  education,"  but  points  out  that  the  school  teacher  is  really 
only  one  factor  in  physical,  moral,  and  intellectual  culture,  and  that  even 
to  be  efficiently  so,  he  has  need  of  professional  training.  His  aim  must  be 
directed  to  secure  the  utility,  discipline,  and  pleasure  of  the  taught  as 
results  of  exercised  activity.     The  author  takes  up  in  successive  chapters— 

(1)  Order,   Attention,   and   Discipline,   and  gives   rules   applicable  to  the 
regulated  and  successful  exercise  of  these  that  they  may  become  habitual  • 

(2)  Ora  Questioning— how  to  proceed  with  and  succeed  in  it,  and  what  to 
avoid  while  engaged  in  the  process  ;  (3)  Object  Lessons— what  to  aim  at  in 
giving  them,  and  how  to  accomplish  the  intended  result:  (4)  Reading 
Spelling,  Writing,  and  Arithmetic— how  they  should  be  taught  and  the 
relative  merits  of  various  methods  of  procedure  ;  (5)  English,  including 
Composition,  Grammar,  and  Literature  ;  (6)  Geography,  and  how  to  make 
the  teaching  of  it  educative  and  valuable  ;  (7)  History,  and  the  methods  of 
giving  It  a  living  (not  a  bookworm)  interest ;  (8)  the  Education  of  Infants— 
as  a  speciality. 

[From  the  New  York  Nation.^ 

Salmon's  contributions  to  elementary  school  literature  are  many  and  valu- 
-c  I    ^/suffices  to  mention  his  "Object  Lessons,"  "School  Grammar" 

Schoo    Composition,     "Stories  from   Early  English   History."     He  has 
now  collected  into  the  volume  before  us  his  views  on  the  "  Art  of  Teach 
ing.       The  treatment  of  the  subject  is  orderly,  thorough,  authoritative.     He 
takes  up  first  the  fundamental  matters  of  order,  attention,  discipline      Then 
comes  a  charming  discussion  of  the  art  of  oral  questioning.     Next  follows  an 
estimate  of  the  claims  upon  attention  of  the  main  subjects  of  elementary  study 
with  invaluable  hints  as  to  the  teaching  of  each.     The  subjects  treated  are ' 
Reading  Spelling,  Writing,  Arithmetic,  English,  Geography,  History     This 
IS,  indeed,  familiar  ground,  but  the  treatment  is  so  able,  so  acute,  so  com- 
prehensive, that  there  is  constant  variety  and  constant  interest.     A  very 
valuable  portion  of  the  volume  is  the  section  of  sixty  pages  on  Infant  Edu- 
cation.    Not  only  are  the  history  and  development  of  the  kindergarten  here 
admirably  discussed,  but  the  original  and  valuable  contributions  of  England 
to  the  Education  of  young  children  are  set  forth.     Most  wise  and  helpful  is 
Salmon  s  discussion  of  the  best  ways  of  teaching  the  elementary  studies. 
1  his  portion  of  the  book  is  a  true  teachers'  manual.     It  is  a  genuine  pleasure 
to  commend  without  qualification  this  admirable  manual.     It  is  a  worthy 
companion  to  Fitch's  "Lectures  on  Teaching,"  and,  like  that  book,  ought 
to  be  on  every  teacher  s  shelf. 


H.  C.  Missimer,  Superintendent 
of  Public  Schools,  Erie,  Pa. :— "I 
have  read  Salmon's  '  Art  of  Teach- 
ing, '  and  believe  it  to  be  the  best  work 
on  the  subject  yet  published.     It  is 


simple,  direct,  clear,  practical,  and 
has  evidently  been  written  by  one 
who  has  had  experience  with  every 
problem  and  difficulty  of  the  school- 
room." 


Longmans,  Green,  &  Go's  Publications. 
Teaching  and  School  Organization. 

A  Manual  of  Practice,  with  Especial  Reference  to  Secondary  Instruc- 
tion.    Edited  by  P.  A.  Barnett.     Crown  8vo.     438  pages.     $2.00. 

The  object  of  this  Manual  is  to  collect  and  co-ordinate  for  the  use  of 
students  and  teachers,  the  experience  of  persons  of  authority  in  special 
branches  of  educational  practice,  and  to  cover  as  nearly  as  possible  the 
whole  field  of  the  work  of  Secondary  Schools  of  both  higher  and  lower 
grades. 

The  subjects  treated  in  the  22  chapters  are  as  follows  :  The  Criterion  in 
Education — Organization  and  Curricula  in  Boys'  Schools — Kindergarten — 
Reading — Drawing  and  Writing — Arithmetic  and  Mathematics — English 
Grammar  and  Composition — English  Literature — Modern  History — Ancient 
History — Geography — Classics — Science — Modern  Languages — Vocal  Music 
— Discipline — Inefifectiveness  of  Teaching — Specialization — School  Libraries 
— School  Hygiene — Apparatus  and  Furniture — Organization  and  Curricula 
in  Girls'  Schools. 

A  Manual  of  Clay-Modelling  for  Teachers  and  Scholars. 

By  Mary  Louisa  Hermione  Unwin.  With  66  Illustrations  and  a 
Preface  by  T.  G.  Roofer,  M.A.  Balliol  College,  Oxford.  i2mo. 
$1.00. 

The  course  set  forth  in  this  Manual  is  suitable  for  children  of  six  or  seven 
years  of  age  and  upwards.  It  is  a  great  advantage  to  young  children  to 
learn  to  handle  the  clay  and  to  become  accustomed  to  using  it.  They  may 
begin  with  the  simplest  objects,  such  as  beads,  round  or  flat,  of  different 
sizes  ;  cherries  with  string  or  wicker  stalks  ;  a  sausage,  or  cigar  ;  a  small 
saucer,  or  a  basket,  a  bun,  or  an  open  pea-pod  with  loose  peas  in  it  made 
separately  ;  a  pat  of  butter,  or  a  cottage  loaf,  are  also  suitable.  For  the 
work  of  advanced  pupils,  or  for  the  higher  classes  in  schools,  more  difficult 
subjects  may  be  attempted. 

Kindergarten  Guide. 

By  Lois  Bates  With  numerous  Illustrations,  chiefly  in  half-tone,  and 
16  colored  plates.     Crown  8vo.     388  pages.     $1.50.* 

In  addition  to  a  full  description  of  the  kindergarten  gifts  and  occupations, 
the  book  shows  how  ordinary  subjects  may  be  taught  on  kindergarten 
principles. 

Churchman,  New  York:— "A  long  needed  hand-book  for  the  kinder- 
garten teacher.  .  .  .  The  whole  course  of  instruction  is  elaborately 
explained  with  full  illustrations,  so  that  the  teacher  possesses,  in  this  i2mo 
volume,  a  complete  compendium  for  her  work." 

Journal  of  Education,  Boston,  Mass.: — "  Never  before  has  there  been 
so  full,  varied,  and  detailed  a  treatment  of  the  subject  from  the  standpoint 
of  teacher,  parent,  and  child.  No  family  in  which  there  are  little  children 
should  be  without  this  sum  of  all  kindergarten  virtues." 


Longmans,  Green,  &-  Go's  Publications. 


EPOCHS  OF  CHURCH  HISTORY. 

Edited  by  the  Right  Rev.  Mandell  Creighton,   D.D.,  Lord  Bishop 
of  London.     i2mo.      Each  volume.      80  cents. 

The  English  Church  in  Other  Lands.   By  the  Rev.  H.  W.  Tucker, 
M.A. 

The    History    of    the    Reformation    in    England.     By  the   Rev. 
George  G.   Perry,  M.A. 

The  Church  of  the  Early  Fathers.     By  the  Rev.  Alfred  Plummer, 
D.D. 

The  Evangelical  Revival   in  the   Eighteenth  Century.      By   the 

Rev.  J.  H.  Overton,   M.A. 

The  University  of  Oxford.     By  the  Hon.  G.  C.  Brodrick,  D.C  L. 

The  University  of  Cambridge.     By  J.  Bass  Mullinger,  M.A. 

The  English  Church  in  the  Middle  Ages.    By  the  Rev.  W.  Hunt, 
M.A. 

The  Church  and  the  Eastern  Empire.     By  the  Rev.  H.  F.  Tozer, 
M.A. 

The  Church  and  the  Roman  Empire.     By  the  Rev.  A.  Carr. 

The  Church  and  the  Puritans,  1570-1660.     By  H.  Offley  Wake- 
man,  M.A. 

Hildebrand  and  His  Times.    By  the  Rev.  W.  R.  W.  Stephens,  M.A. 

The  Popes  and  the  Hohenstaufen.     By  Ugo  Balzani. 

The  Counter 'Reformation.    By  Adolphus  William  Ward,  Litt.  D. 

Wycliffe  and  Movements  for  Reform.     By  Reginald   L.  Poole, 
M.A. 

The  Arian  Controversy.    By  H.  M.  Gwatkin,  M.A. 


Messrs.   Longmans,  Green,  &   Co.  will   be  happy  to   send   their 

Catalogue,  describing  more  than  1,000  text-books  and 

works  of  reference,  to  any  teacher  on  request. 


Date  Due 

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